A look at the affix ‘Hyborean’

Consider this conjecture or a thought experiment, not to be conflated with real truth.

The term Hibernate relates to winter. Hibernate is meant to describe a deep sleep, which is often mistaken for a deep torpor, but that’s nuance semantics. Hiber relating to Winter or wintry;

I think the idea of hibernate, relates to the idea of hyper or hybor, which relates to over or north as we’ll dive below.

The word Hyper and Hypo come from the roots; Ancient Greek ὑπέρ (hupér, “over”), from Proto-Indo-European *upér (“over, above”) (English over), from *upo (“under, below”).

Seen in words like hypochondriac. Hyperthermic or hypothermic. Hypertrophy, hypotrophy, hyperbole, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, etc.

Hyborea and Hyborean – Hyborea is the land and Hyborean is to come from the land. Hyperborean means “beyond the north wind,” referring to a region located far to the north of Thrace, where the cold winds of Boreas cannot reach. It could be viewed that Hybo- is short for Hyperbo-.

In Greek mythology, they considered Hyperborean land to be an eternal spring untouched by chaos or plagues or war or other ailments. Similar to how Vinland saga depicts the what could be the ‘Americas’. “This was a mythical place far to the north that was not cold and where things did not age.”

In a different interpretation, modern day America could be viewed as the Greek Hyperborean. Allbeit, less mythical and not ageless or without problems of man. Though the search for the fountain of youth might be related.

Boreas, is also related to the Aurora Borealis. Borealis meaning Latin for northern or of the north. The Boreas, was also referred to as the ‘northern winds’. The Aurora Borealis is the northern lights, and the  aurora australis is the southern lights. Australis being Latin, it is the origin for relating to the continent and country of modern day Australia.

Some say that the Latin used the word Hiberia to describe the island that is, Ireland.

In essence, if we were to take all of the above talking points, we may infer that Borea, means the north, and Hyper-borea, means beyond the north.

All of the above seems to be related.

Epilogue

This is not a serious linguistic work with cognates and whatnot. I am not referring to secondary or primary sources, just merely connecting superficial dots to prod and poke at what could be a deeper truth. Something, less superficial, but possibly more true.

Point is, that these similar exercises can be done with all types of words, to create and form new dots and connections with our language. Our language being a lens to view the world in. If we connect more dots and create a more comprehensive network with our language, we can draw more parallels and abstract more meaning from simple phrases or gestures or poetry.

Thus, I suggest performing these exercises as a loose practice without direct conviction to your findings, and you’ll be able to connect more dots from what is seemingly not connected.

It’s just wordplay at this point,

Words Mean Things