DIAKON-
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Thu Sep 26 16:14:42 EDT 2002
For George Somsel:
In a message dated 9/26/2002 2:18:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
waldoslusher at yahoo.com writes:
>The standard defintion I see on this is generally:
>
>to serve or to wait on tables
>
>
>Is there any etymological significance to waiting on
>TABLES? Or, is the idea simply to serve others
>regardless if they are at a table waiting to eat?
>
>I can see DIAKON- commonly describing what a
>table-waiter would do (serve others), but WHY this
>example (wait on tables) and not some other example
>(wait to assist someone with some task)?
>
I don't intend to get stuck with etymological arguments. I might point out
though that the USAGE of DIAKONEW doesn't seem to indicate simply waiting
on tables. In the Republic Plato writes
KAI PRASIN DIAKONOUNTAS hIDRUMENOUS EN AGORAi
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3aabo%3atlg%2c0059%2c030%3a371d&vers=original&word=dia%5fkone%2fw#word1
referring to those who provide a service by being situated int the Agora to
merchandise.
gfsomsel
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