demon

[Bryllars at concentric.net]

Timothy Mason <tmason at club-internet.fr>

Thanks for your help on demon, daimon, lemon etc.

My problem is that I - growing up in suburban Boston and Manhattan
  do rhyme demon and lemon and always thought this was standard
  - and nothing of my experience at Harvard or elsewhere ever gave
  me cause to doubt that pronunciation.
  Now I find that no one else seems to have the same idea.

   As for daimon/daemon - I'm interested that there is a meaning of 'cron(e)'
I thought it was a kind of familiar spirit - which is indeed one of the
meanings
in American Heritage Dictionary - the edition that had Cal Watkins' version
of an Indo-European Roots appendix, Wayne O'Neil listed as in charge of
spelling and pronunciation, Henry L Smith on dialects etc..
It also lists among its meanings - Gk mythology:: an inferior divinity, such as
a deified hero, etc.; also, one who is exrtremely zealous, skillfful or
engrossed
in a particular activity.
As well as the basic meanings of a devil or evil being (New Testament)
and a persistently tormenting person, force, or passion.

They do not list 'crone'.  So if there is a source I would appreciate
knowing it.
The American Heritage lists daemon/daimon as a mere variant - giving it
no semantic significance.


Bryllars at concentric.net