by Alexandar Hasanas. Translated and edited by Petrit Latifi

Summary

The text discusses the etymology of the ancient Albanian word DIEP (“cradle”). It argues that the correct origin comes from the Albanian roots DY/EP, meaning “to give,” “to yield,” or “to bend/swing from both sides,” which semantically aligns with the function and form of a cradle. Albanian dictionary entries such as EP and EPEM support this interpretation, as they denote bending, yielding, or forming a loop, both in a physical and figurative sense.

Djep

This study examines the etymology of the ancient Albanian term DIEP (“cradle”) and argues for an indigenous Albanian origin grounded in the roots DY/EP, which convey the meanings “to give,” “to yield,” or “to bend/swing from both sides.” These semantic features correspond closely to both the physical structure and functional purpose of a cradle.

Lexicographical evidence from the Albanian language supports this interpretation. The root EP denotes bending, curving, or forming a loop, while the verb EPEM describes the property of yielding or flexing without breaking, applicable both in literal (physical objects) and figurative (submission or resistance) contexts. Such meanings align naturally with the concept of a cradle as an object characterized by motion, flexibility, and support.

In contrast, several scholars—including Orel, Camarda, Meyer, and Pedersen—have attempted to derive the term from the Greek word δέπας or from Slavic parallels. These proposals are considered methodologically problematic, as they rely on semantic and phonological associations that remain uncertain or insufficiently substantiated.

A more compelling explanation is offered by Eqrem Çabej, who connects the term to the Indo-European root dheubh- / dheub- (Çabej, Studime Etimologjike, I: 129–130; III: 264–265). This connection not only accounts for the semantic development of DIEP within Albanian but also suggests that the Greek δέπας itself may be a borrowing from an earlier Albanian or pre-Albanian lexical stratum. Consequently, the Albanian origin of the term emerges as linguistically coherent and etymologically well-founded.