The technical term ‘amphibolon’ in Pollux’s Onomasticon

Abstract

Abstract Pollux uses the technical term ‘amphibolon’ in different contexts and with relatively different functions. This paper documents in detail these functions, categorizes them in 5 different categories (marking of polysemous lexemes; marking of polysemous lexemes in specific passages; highlighting dubious readings in specific passages; marking of a doubtful categorization of a thing; marking lexemes which are dubious regarding their canonicity) and discusses their relation with lexicographic features and intentions of the Onomasticon. It contributes contributes, thus, to the disambiguation of the term in the Onomasticon and adds some insights about its uses in the ancient Greek grammatical and lexicogrpahical tradition.