Possibly inherited from Proto-Indo-European *gláktn̥ (“milk”) (compare Latin lact, Old Armenian կաթն (katʻn), Albanian dhallë), earlier *glákt (or, if the Hittite cognate is valid, *gláktr̥), perhaps from a root *glag- + *-tr̥, but the phonetic irregularities, presence of *a, and Mediterranean distribution of this word have cast doubt on its existence in PIE. Instead, it may have been borrowed from an agricultural wanderword related to or descended from Hittite 𒂵𒌨𒋻 (galaktar, “soothing substance, nutrient”), itself possibly derived from 𒅗𒆷𒀭𒃰𒁺 (galank-, “to soothe”), from Proto-Indo-European *gleǵʰ- (“soft, weak”); cf. Bulgarian гле́зя (glézja, “to pamper”).[1] However, Beekes doubts that there is any connection with the Hittite.[2]
The variant γλάγος (glágos) was contracted from the second oblique stem.
γᾰ́λᾰ • (gála) n (genitive γᾰ́λᾰκτος or γᾰ́λᾰκος); third declension
Sometimes indeclinable.
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | τὸ γᾰ́λᾰ tò gála |
τὼ γᾰ́λᾰκτε tṑ gálakte |
τᾰ̀ γᾰ́λᾰκτᾰ tà gálakta | ||||||||||
Genitive | τοῦ γᾰ́λᾰκτος toû gálaktos |
τοῖν γᾰλᾰ́κτοιν toîn galáktoin |
τῶν γᾰλᾰ́κτων tôn galáktōn | ||||||||||
Dative | τῷ γᾰ́λᾰκτῐ tôi gálakti |
τοῖν γᾰλᾰ́κτοιν toîn galáktoin |
τοῖς γᾰ́λᾰξῐ / γᾰ́λᾰξῐν toîs gálaxi(n) | ||||||||||
Accusative | τὸ γᾰ́λᾰ tò gála |
τὼ γᾰ́λᾰκτε tṑ gálakte |
τᾰ̀ γᾰ́λᾰκτᾰ tà gálakta | ||||||||||
Vocative | γᾰ́λᾰ gála |
γᾰ́λᾰκτε gálakte |
γᾰ́λᾰκτᾰ gálakta | ||||||||||
Notes: |
|
Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | τὸ γᾰ́λᾰ tò gála |
τὼ γᾰ́λᾰκε tṑ gálake |
τᾰ̀ γᾰ́λᾰκᾰ tà gálaka | ||||||||||
Genitive | τοῦ γᾰ́λᾰκος toû gálakos |
τοῖν γᾰλᾰ́κοιν toîn galákoin |
τῶν γᾰλᾰ́κων tôn galákōn | ||||||||||
Dative | τῷ γᾰ́λᾰκῐ tôi gálaki |
τοῖν γᾰλᾰ́κοιν toîn galákoin |
τοῖς γᾰ́λᾰῐ / γᾰ́λᾰῐν / γᾰ́λᾰξῐ / γᾰ́λᾰξῐν toîs gálai(n) / gálaxi(n) | ||||||||||
Accusative | τὸ γᾰ́λᾰ tò gála |
τὼ γᾰ́λᾰκε tṑ gálake |
τᾰ̀ γᾰ́λᾰκᾰ tà gálaka | ||||||||||
Vocative | γᾰ́λᾰ gála |
γᾰ́λᾰκε gálake |
γᾰ́λᾰκᾰ gálaka | ||||||||||
Notes: |
|
From Ancient Greek γάλα (gála), from Proto-Indo-European *glakt-, *galakt-.
Cognate with Mariupol Greek га́ла (hála).
γάλα • (gála) n (plural γάλατα)
singular | plural | |
---|---|---|
nominative | γάλα (gála) | γάλατα (gálata) |
genitive | γάλακτος (gálaktos) | - |
accusative | γάλα (gála) | γάλατα (gálata) |
vocative | γάλα (gála) | γάλατα (gálata) |
There is a rare genitive singular γάλατος (gálatos) and the genitive plural γαλάτων (galáton) is uncommon