December theme: Religion 📿

Introduction

*bʰewdʰ- vs. *gʷʰedʰ-: two families that end up being super confusing in Germanic languages, since *bʰ and *gʷʰ merge at the beginning of a word. In English, they end up being homophones with complementary/opposite meanings: "offer" vs. "ask for".

I had to do these two at the same time just to make sure I was tracking which words go where, because the dictionaries and other sources sometimes also mix them up. Even in the rest of the Germanic langauges where the two English bid s aren't complete homonyms the meanings can get awfully confusing; compare German bitten, to ask someone to do something (bid) vs. ver-bieten, to ask someone _not_ to do something (forbidden).

They probably don't have a common derivation. Probably. If they do, it's before reconstructable language.

Also, Happy Bodhi Day (Japanese Calendar variant).

Teaser

bid, forbid, Buddha, bid, bead, geas

Full Text

• Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰedʰ- to request, pray, ask for

  • Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰédʰyeti to be praying, to be asking for

    • Balto-Slavic

      • Lithuanian gedė́ti to mourn

        • Lithuanian gedė́jimas mourning (noun)
      • Slavic *žę̄dàti to wish, to desire

        • East Slavic жѧдати žędati

          • Russian жада́ть žadátʹ crave, thirst for (archaic)
        • South Slavic

          • Old Church Slavonic жѧдати žędati to thirst, to desire
        • West Slavic

          • Polish żądać to demand
    • Celtic *gʷedyeti to pray

      • Brythonic

        • Welsh gweddïo to pray
      • Old Irish guidid to pray

        • Irish guigh to pray
    • Germanic *bidjanã to request, to ask for

      • East Germanic

        • Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 bidjan to request, to ask, to pray, to beg

          • Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍅𐌰 bidagwa beggar
      • North Germanic

        • Old Norse biðja to ask, to beg, to request, to pray

          • Danish bede to ask, to beg, to request, to pray
          • Icelandic biðja to ask, to request, to pray
      • West Germanic

        • Old English biddan to ask for, to entreat, to beg, to demand

          • English bid ^[1]
        • Frankish

          • Dutch bidden to pray
        • Old High German bitten to ask

          • German bitten to ask, to plead, to beg, to request
    • Indo-Iranian

      • Iranian

        • Avestan jaiδiiemi
        • Western Iranian

          • Old Persian 𐎩𐎮𐎡𐎹𐎠𐎷𐎡𐎹 ja-di-i-y-a-mi-i-y I pray
  • Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰedʰeh₂ noun derivation

    • Balto-Slavic

      • Slavic *žęďa thirst, craving, wish, desire

        • East Slavic жажа žaža
        • South Slavic

          • Old Church Slavonic жѩжда žjęžda

            • Russian жа́жда žážda thirst, craving
          • Serbo-Croatian же̑ђ(а) žȇđ(a) thirst
        • West Slavic

          • Polish żądza lust, craving
    • Germanic *bedō a request, a prayer, a plea

      • East Germanic

        • Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌰 bida request, prayer, plea
      • West Germanic

        • Old English bedu request, prayer, religious worship

          • Old English Bīeda personal name

            • English (Saint) Bede (the Venerable)
          • English bead ^[2]
          • Scots bede prayer, rosary
        • Frankish

          • Dutch bede plea
        • Old High German bita request, inquiry

          • German Bitte request
      • Germanic *bedōną to pray

        • West Germanic

          • Old High German betōn to pray

            • German beten to pray
  • Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰédʰtis abstract action noun

    • Proto-Armenian *god-i-

      • Old Armenian գոթի gotʿi worship, sorcery
    • Celtic *gʷeddis

      • Brythonic

        • Welsh gweddi prayer
      • Old Irish geis curse, taboo

        • Irish geis magical injunction, spell, prohibition, taboo
        • Scottish Gaelic geas

          • English geas
  • Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰodʰyeh₂

    • Celtic

      • Old Irish guide prayer

        • Irish guí prayer
  • Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰedʰos action or result noun

    • Hellenic

      • Classical Greek πόθος póthos longing, regret, desire unrelated to páthos of similar meaning

        • Greek πόθος póthos longing, regret, desire
• Proto-Indo-European *bʰewdʰ- to be awake, to be aware

  • Proto-Indo-European *bʰéwdʰeti being awake, being aware

    • Balto-Slavic *bljaustei

      • Slavic *bljustì to watch

        • East Slavic

          • Russian блюсти́ bljustí to guard, to keep, to watch over
        • South Slavic

          • Old Church Slavonic блюсти bljusti
          • Serbo-Croatian бљу̏сти bljȕsti
    • Germanic *beudanã to offer, to bid, to command?

      • West Germanic

        • Old English bēodan to offer, to give, to announce

          • English bid ^[1]
          • Old English Bīeda personal name

            • English (Saint) Bede (the Venerable)
        • Old High German biotan to offer

          • German bieten to offer, to present, to bid
      • Old Norse bjóða

        • Danish byde to order, to command, to invite, to offer
        • Icelandic bjóða to offer, to invite, to command
      • East Germanic

        • Gothic *biudan
      • Germanic *furibeudaną to forbid, to command against

        • West Germanic

          • Old English forbēodan to forbid, to restrain

            • English forbid
          • Old High German firbiotan

            • German verbieten to forbid, to prohibit
        • Old Norse fyrirbjóða

          • Danish forbyde to disallow, to forbid, to ban
        • East Germanic

          • Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌱𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌽 faurbiudan to forbid
    • Hellenic *péutʰomai

      • Classical Greek πεύθομαι peúthomai

        • Classical Greek πυνθάνομαι punthánomai
    • Indo-Iranian

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀢𑀺 bódhati to wake, to know, to understand

          • Magadhi

            • Bengali বোঝা bojha to understand
      • Iranian

        • Avestan baoδaiti
        • Western Iranian

          • Persian بیدار‏ bīdār awake
  • Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰtós one who has awoken, one who is known

    • Hellenic

      • Classical Greek πυστός pustós known, familiar, famous
    • Indo-Iranian

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit 𑀩𑀼𑀤𑁆𑀥 buddha awoken, enlightened, the Buddha

          • Sauraseni

            • Pali Buddha the enlightened one, the Buddha

              • Thai พุทธ pút Buddha
              • Middle Chinese 佛陀 bɨutdɑ Buddha

                • Mandarin 佛 Fó Buddha
                • Japanese ぶ​つだ Butsuda Buddha
                • Korean 부처 Bucheo Buddha
              • Sogdian bwt the Buddha, statue of the Buddha

                • Persian بت bot idol, Buddha statue

                  • Hindi बुत but idol, statue, fetish
                  • Persian بت‌خانه‏ bot-khāne temple, shrine lit. "idol-house"

                    • Hindi बुत-ख़ाना but-khānā temple, pagoda
          • English Buddha
          • Hindi बुद्ध buddh Buddha
          • Telugu బుద్ధుడు buddhuḍu wise person, sage, enlightened person, the Buddha
      • Iranian

        • Avestan busta realized, oberved
  • Proto-Indo-European *bʰowdʰéyeti to make aware, to awaken causative imperfective

    • Balto-Slavic *baudeitei

      • Lithuanian báudyti incite, instigate, to encourage
      • Slavic *buditi to awaken, to rouse

        • East Slavic

          • Russian буди́ть budítʹ to wake up, to awaken
        • South Slavic

          • Serbo-Croatian бу́дити búditi to awaken, to rouse, to begin (of an era, etc.)
        • West Slavic

          • Polish budzić to awaken
    • Indo-Iranian

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀬𑀢𑀺 bodhayati to awaken, to restore to life or consciousness, to cause to observe
      • Iranian

        • Avestan baodaiieiti
  • Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰis awareness, awakeness, knowledge

    • Indo-Iranian

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺 bodhi perfecent knowledge, englightenment, bodhi

          • Pali 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺 bodhi perfect knowledge, englightenment, bodhi

            • Middle Chinese

              • Mandarin 菩提 pútí bodhi
              • Japanese ぼだい bodai bodhi
              • Korean 보리 bori bodhi
            • Thai โพธิ poo-tí bodhi
          • English bodhi
          • Sanskrit 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 bodhi-sattva one on the way to enlightenment, Buddhist saint, bodhisattva

            • Pali bodhisatta bodhisattva

              • Arshian bodʰisattu bodhisattva
              • Middle Chinese 菩提薩埵 buo dei sɑt tuɑh bodhisattva

                • Mandarin 菩薩 púsà bodhisattva
                • Japanese ぼさつ bosatsu bodhisattva
              • Thai โพธิสัตว์ poo-tí-sàt bodhisattva
            • English bodhisattva
            • Persian بودسف Bodisav

              • Arabic بوذسف Būdhasaf

                • Arabic يوذسف Yūdhasaf hand writing mistake changed b to y ^[3]

                  • Georgian ჲოდასაფ Iodasaph ^[3]

                    • Greek Ἰωάσαφ Ioasaph ^[3]

                      • Latin (Sanctus) Iosaphatus assimilated to Biblical name יְהוֹשָׁפָט Yehoshafat ^[3]

                        • English (Saint) Josaphat ^[3]
  • Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰyétor

    • Indo-Iranian

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit 𑀩𑀼𑀥𑁆𑀬𑀢𑁂 búdhyate to wake, to know, to understand

          • Magadhi

            • Bengali বোঝা bojha to understand
      • Iranian

        • Avestan būiδiiaēta they should be taught
  • Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰéh₁yeti to be particularly awake? intensive imperfective

    • Balto-Slavic *budeʔtei

      • Lithuanian budė́ti to be awake, to watch, to be on duty
      • Slavic *bъděti

        • East Slavic бъдѣти bŭděti

          • Russian бдеть bdetʹ to keep watch, to keep vigil dated, literary
        • South Slavic

          • Old Church Slavonic бъдѣти bŭděti to watch over, to keep vigil
          • Serbo-Croatian бде̏ти bdȅti to watch over, to keep vigil
        • West Slavic

          • Czech bdít to be awake, to watch over
  • Proto-Indo-European *bʰowdʰos

    • Celtic *bowdos

      • Celtic *ɸrobowdos with *ɸro-: "fore-, pro-"

        • Brythonic

          • Welsh rhybudd warning, advice, notice
        • Old Irish robud forenotice
    • Indo-Iranian

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit 𑀩𑁄𑀥 bodha

          • Sauraseni

            • Madhya Sauraseni

              • Hindi बोध bodh insight, knowledge, perception, congition
      • Iranian

        • Avestan baoda
    • Tocharian *pāut-

      • Arshian pot- to honor, to flatter
      • Kushean paut- to honor, to flatter

        • Kushean pauto honor, flattery
  • Proto-Indo-European *bʰéwdʰtis abstract action noun

    • Balto-Slavic

      • Lithuanian bùsti wake up, wake
    • Hellenic

      • Classical Greek πῠ́στῐς pústis inquiry, question, news, report
    • Indo-Iranian

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit 𑀩𑀼𑀤𑁆𑀥𑀺 buddhi intelligence, reason, intellect

          • Madhya Sauraseni

            • Hindi बुद्धि buddhi intelligence
      • Iranian

        • Avestan busti
  • Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰo

    • Celtic *budos

      • Brythonic

        • Welsh bodd free will, consent
    • Germanic *budã offer, message

      • West Germanic

        • Old English bod command, order, mandate

          • English bode
      • Old Norse boð

        • Danish bud command, message, guess
        • Icelandic boð message, order, offer, omen
        • Old Norse umboð commission

          • Old Norse umboðsmaðr commissary, representative, steward

            • Icelandic umboðsmaður representative, attorney, agent
            • Swedish ombudsman ombudsman

              • English ombudsman
      • Germanic *budô messenger

        • West Germanic

          • Old English boda messenger, envoy, apostle, angel, prophet

            • English bode
          • Old High German boto messenger, envoy

            • German Bote messenger, letter carrier, apostle

              • German Botschaft news, tidings, embassy
      • Germanic *budilaz messenger, herald, bearer of an order

        • West Germanic

          • Old English bydel herald, warrant officer, announce, preacher

            • English beadle
            • Scots bedel attendant to a minister
          • Old High German butil

            • German Büttel court officer, policeman, menial
          • Frankish *budil

            • Dutch beul executioner, torturer, cruel person
            • Medieval Latin bedellus

              • French bedeau attendant at a church, caretaker of a church
              • Italian bidello caretaker, janitor
              • Spanish bedel janitor
      • Germanic *budōnã to proclaim, to announce, to instruct

        • West Germanic

          • Old English bodian announce, foretell, preach

            • English bode

              • English forebode
    • Indo-Iranian

      • Indo-Aryan

        • Sanskrit 𑀩𑀼𑀥 budha Mercury (planet), Puranic Hindu divinity associated with intellect, wit, communication, trade, and the planet Mercury

          • Magadhi

            • Bengali বুধ budh Mercury (planet)
          • Sauraseni

            • Madhya Sauraseni

              • Hindi बुध budh Mercury (planet)
            • Pali

              • Mongolian Буд Bud Mercury (planet)
              • Thai ดาวพุธ daao-put Mercury (planet), Budha (Hindu deity)

                • Thai วันพุธ wan pút Wednesday
          • Telugu బుధుడు budhuḍu Mercury (planet)
          • Sanskrit 𑀩𑀼𑀥𑀯𑀸𑀭 budhavāra Wednesday Mercury's day ^[4]

            • Elu

              • Sinhala බදාදා badādā Wednesday
            • Magadhi

              • Bengali বুধবার budhbar Wendesday
            • Sauraseni

              • Madhya Sauraseni

                • Hindi बुधवार budhvār Wednesday
            • Telugu బుధవారము budhavāramu Wednesday
  • Proto-Indo-European *bʰudʰrós wakeful adjective

    • Balto-Slavic *budras

      • Lithuanian budrùs vigilant
      • Slavic *bъ̀drъ alert, cheerful

        • East Slavic

          • Russian бо́дрый bódryj cheerful, brisk, vivacious
        • South Slavic

          • Serbo-Croatian бо̏дар bȍdar alert, brisk, keen, strong
    • Indo-Iranian

      • Iranian

        • Avestan *budra

          • Avestan zaēnibudra

Visual

Collected English words

bodhi, bid, bode, forbid, (Saint) Josaphat, bodhisattva, Buddha, (Saint) Bede (the Venerable), bode, forebode, bid, ombudsman, bead, geas, bode, beadle

Footnotes

1. ^

   Old English bēodan, "to offer" and Old English bidda, "to ask for" got confused in Middle English and merge into Modern English bid, resulting in a very confusing pair of homonym-antonyms from different PIE roots.

2. ^

   English bead meant "prayer", then "prayer with a rosary" -> "a rosary" -> "rosary beads" -> "beads in general"

3. ^

   "But not till the mid-nineteenth century was it recognised that, in Josaphat, the Buddha had been venerated as a Christian saint for about a thousand years." - David M. Lang's 1967 introduction to Woodward and Mattingly's 1914 translation of Barlaam and Ioasaph

4. ^

   India and Rome had a shared inheritance of Hellenistic astrology, after the conquests of Alexander the Great expanded and transformed the Persian sphere of influence. When the astrological 7-day week of planetary hours began to replace the 8-day nundinal cycle (see last week) over the first few centuries CE, the idea spread widely through the Hellenistic world and beyond within a few hundred years.