8

Although the idea of idolatry has been present for a long time, I believe St. Paul is the first to use the term εἰδωλολατρία, e.g. Gal 5:20. (Corrections welcome!)

Two surprises come when we look at the Vulgate:

  1. εἰδωλολατρία is translated as "idolorum servitus" (Gal 5:20) or "idolorum cultura" (1 Cor 10:14)
  2. But: "idolatria" is used at least twice, to translate the Greek "κατείδωλον" (Acts 17:16) and "θεραφιν" (1 Sam 15:23, LXX) (which, I found out after some digging, is just a transliteration of Hebrew וּתְרָפִ֖ים (uterafim) = "household idol").

Although there are a lot of good questions that this cursory look bring up (many of which would probably find a better home at Biblical Hermeneutics), I will only ask one: Why was εἰδωλολατρία transcribed as idolatria rather than idololatria?

Joonas Ilmavirta
  • 113,294
  • 21
  • 192
  • 587
brianpck
  • 40,688
  • 5
  • 94
  • 204

1 Answers1

10

The uncontracted "idololatria" is used by Tertullian, and by Jerome in his commentary on Isaiah (if we can trust the copyists and editors).

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3Didololatria

"Idolatria" is common in Christian Latin (though it does not have an entry in L/S) and is continued by English “idolatry” and similar words in other modern languages. It is an example of haplology (as opposed to mere haplography).

fdb
  • 17,845
  • 1
  • 23
  • 47
  • 5
    I wonder if "haplogy" would be a more descriptive word than "haplology"... (+1 and apologies for the pun) – Joonas Ilmavirta Jan 19 '17 at 00:27
  • 3
    @JoonasIlmavirta You might have to issue a hapology for that. You are approaching the hapogee of inconsiderateness! – ktm5124 Jan 19 '17 at 01:48
  • @fdb Great--"haplology" was the phenomenon I was looking for. Do you know how common this was for Greek->Latin words? – brianpck Jan 21 '17 at 20:23
  • 2
    @brianpck. It is actually very rare. But see (Homer etc.) ἀμφιφορεύς > later ἀμφορεύς. – fdb Jan 21 '17 at 21:53
  • 2
    @brianpck. Another (Latin/Romance) example is late Latin carnelevare > Old Italian carnelevale (assimilation) > Tuscan carnevale (haplology) > English etc. carnival. All the stages are really attested. – fdb Jan 30 '17 at 23:06
  • @JoonasIlmavirta Vide Studies out in Left Field: Defamatory essays presented to James D. McCawley on his 33rd or 34th birthday, p. 125. (My favorite is "haspiration".) – Ben Kovitz May 25 '17 at 12:41