We have had a thread on "main course", but I would like to know how you render "main" versus "side" in compounds in your language in general.
Same in German "Haupt-"Dutch: hoofd-/ head (gerecht/ dish, course, weg/road ('way')))
That depends: "Neben-" (next to) as in "Nebenprodukt" (by-product) or "Bei-" (by) as in "Beilage" ("side dish" in the context of dining)vs. neven- /next to (-effect)/ zij [<zijde]/side (-straat/ street)
But of course in some cases English has chief, as in chef, head again. Maybe principal can be mentioned here too perhaps: the first (prime) to be taken (capere). But it is not that common, I guess: I find the principal theme/ players/... somewhere...I found out that main in English refers to power (magnus, might, ...)
Could you comment on how 'sharp' could develop into 'main'. Something like "strong"?Plât (Eng. 'plate' or maybe Old Fr.) ochr (< Celtic < PIE *okri- 'sharp') 'Side plate'.
I suddenly thought of something: in Dutch we have this suffix too in two ways...Prefix «αρχι-» [ar.çi-] comes form the v. «άρχω» [ˈar.xɔ] --> to lead, rule, exercise power, ɡovern < Classical v. «ἄρχω» ắrkʰō --> to be the first, beɡin, rule, from a possible IE root *h₂r-ske/o- to start, rule with possible coɡnate the Arm. արքայ (arkʿay), kinɡ, monarch.
It does look as if we mainly use prefixes to renner this distinction, which are of course often grammaticalised words ('hoofd'/ head in Dutch has turned into some kind of prefix; we no longer think of heads...). But do we always?English prefixes:
mega-, arch- (/a:ts/), hyper-, super-
Welsh prefixes:
arch- /arX-), en-, prif-
Could you illustrate that?We are going towards, 'main/principal/chief' >>> 'large(r)', now
However, I do not think that we can "intensify"/ strengthen an adjective using a prefix. Or no, we can, but then it is not something like main, ore like mega, kei (kiterally pebble)... In Dutch that would be a side track, or does that -en mean "main"in Welsh?mawr (adj.) 'big' > enfawr 'enormous'
pyd (n.) 'danger' > enbyd, enbydus 'dangerous'
Nadrzędny = nad (over)+ rządThis is imrpessive, thanks! Now, some questions if I may:
- could you comment on the etymology of some non-/glowa/words in series 1?I use Google, but the translations are main, main, main, or primarily Something like head, or ...?
- For the primarily words I get things like "everyone" and "actually", which I would not associate with "main" spontaneously
- you can use all of those in compounds, can't you?
- victim and supreme?
- primary is a tough one; I think it does not refer to "main" in all cases (like primary/ elementary school) ; some words seem to refer to first rather, no?
- side: Google translates część as part. Correct? Siide and part are related semantically, but still - are they the same in compounds
Could you perhaps add some more examples where words are interchangeable?I know I am asking a lot, but feel free!