Thread: The component фил-

Originally Posted by Antonio1986

The component фил in many Greek words derives from the word filos (φίλος) = friend.
So based on this knowledge we can easily conclude the meaning of the following words:
1. русофил
2. англофил
3. философия: it derives from the word: filos (φίλος) = friend + sofia (σοφία) = wisdom. So literally means friend of wisdom.
4. педофил: it derives from the word: pedi (παιδί) = children + filos (φίλος) = friend.

So, should I draw the conclusion from your analysis that педофил is the real friend of children?

And what meaning of русофоб, англофоб should we conclude? Is it a person who hates Russians (Anglophones) or is afraid of them?

Originally Posted by diogen_

So, should I draw the conclusion from your analysis that педофил is the real friend of children?

And what meaning of русофоб, англофоб should we conclude? Is it a person who hates Russians (Anglophones) or is afraid of them?

Excellent question.
Акрофобия, Айлурофобия, Некрофобия, Зоофобии, Гомофобия (fear of homosexuals), Арахнофобия ( fear of spiders), юдофобия (fear of Jews), англофоб (fear of British) etc
The component фоб derives from the word: fovos (φόβος: In Greek the sound v is equivalent with sound b), which means fear.

In Greek the word Педерастия (παιδεραστία) with the word Педофилия (πεδοφιλία) had different meaning.
The word Педерастия derives from the word: paidi + erastis = child + lover.
The first means a person that actually has intercourse with a children while the second means a person that is erotically attracted to children.
Both actions are and should be criminal offences in all countries of the word (unfortunately this is no true in many African countries)

"real friend of children" ... unfortunately in the ancient Greek times (when the average life expectancy was 28 years old) pedophilia and pederasty were "socially" accepted. But at that time also they were composed very strict rules against pedophiles.
Socrates the great philosopher was accused for "corrupting young boys" and it was "forced" to commit suicide.

The truth is that many sexual scientific terms derived from Greek. The answer is simple ... we speak about the first modern civilization in human history. Ancient Greeks were analyzing every aspect of life ... love and sex were not excluded. Now if the word civilization is associated with orgies ... I am not in the position to analyze this. On this forum I am more concern with the linguistic aspects and not with history.

I hope my analysis helped.
I just thought that given that you use all these words ... is good to understand from where they derived, it will help learners of Russian to memorize them more easiliy. But of course it does not mean that they should be translated 100%.

P.S. "friend of children" ... I would have used more the word: monster.