The Tuna story is described as 'a clear case of disease of language cured
by the ordinary nostrum of folk-etymology.' The 'disease' showed itself,
I suppose, in the presence of the Mangaian words for 'brain of Tuna.' But
the story of Tuna gives no folk-etymology of the name Tuna. Now, to give
an etymology of a name of forgotten meaning is the sole object of folk-
etymology. The plant-name, 'snake's head,' given as an example by Mr.
Max Muller, needs no etymological explanation. A story may be told to
explain why the plant is called snake's head, but a story to give an
etymology of snake's head is superfluous. The Tuna story explains why
the cocoanut kernel is called 'brains of Tuna,' but it offers no
etymology of Tuna's name. On the other hand, the story that marmalade
(really marmalet) is so called because Queen Mary found comfort in
marmalade when she was sea-sick--hence Marie-malade, hence
_marmalade_--gives an etymological explanation of the origin of the
_word_ marmalade. Here is a real folk-etymology. We must never confuse
such myths of folk-etymology with myths arising (on the philological
hypothesis) from 'disease of language.' Thus, Daphne is a girl pursued
by Apollo, and changed into a daphne plant or laurel, or a laurel springs
from the earth where she was buried. On Mr. Max Muller's philological
theory Daphne=Dahana, and meant 'the burning one.' Apollo may be derived
from a Sanskrit form, *Apa-var-yan, or *Apa-val-yan (though how Greeks
ever heard a Sanskrit word, if such a word as Apa-val-yan ever existed,
we are not told), and may mean 'one who opens the gate of the sky' (ii.
692-696). {18} At some unknown date the ancestors of the Greeks would
say 'The opener of the gates of the sky (*Apa-val-yan, i.e. the sun)
pursues the burning one (Dahana, i.e. the dawn).' The Greek language
would retain this poetic saying in daily use till, in the changes of
speech, *Apa-val-yan ceased to be understood, and became Apollo, while
Dahana ceased to be understood, and became Daphne. But the verb being
still understood, the phrase ran, 'Apollo pursues Daphne.' Now the
Greeks had a plant, laurel, called daphne. They therefore blended plant,
daphne, and heroine's name, Daphne, and decided that the phrase 'Apollo
pursues Daphne' meant that Apollo chased a nymph, Daphne, who, to escape
his love, turned into a laurel. I cannot give Mr. Max Muller's theory of
the Daphne story more clearly. If I misunderstand it, that does not come
from want of pains.
In opposition to it we urge that (1) the etymological equations,
Daphne=Dahana, Apollo=*Apa-val-yan, are not generally accepted by other
scholars. Schroder, in fact, derives Apollo 'from the Vedic Saparagenya,
"worshipful," an epithet of Agni,' who is Fire (ii. 688), and so on.
Daphne=Dahana is no less doubted. Of course a Greek simply cannot be
'derived' from a Sanskrit word, as is stated, though both may have a
common origin, just as French is not 'derived from' Italian.
(2) If the etymologies were accepted, no proof is offered to us of the
actual existence, as a vera causa, of the process by which a saying.
'Apollo pursues Daphne,' remains in language, while the meaning of the
words is forgotten. This process is essential, but undemonstrated. See
the chapter here on 'The Riddle Theory.'
(3) These processes, if demonstrated, which they are not, must be
carefully discriminated from the actual demonstrable process of
folk-etymology. The Marmalade legend gives the etymology of a word,
marmalade; the Daphne legend does not give an etymology.
(4) The theory of Daphne is of the kind protested against by Mannhardt,
where he warns us against looking in most myths for a 'mirror-picture' on
earth of celestial phenomena. {20a} For these reasons, among others, I
am disinclined to accept Mr. Max Muller's attempt to explain the story of
Daphne.