Migrant words and migrant children. Historical, social and legal notes on the prefix ψυχ(ο)- in Ancient, Medieval and Modern Greek

This paper examines the insertion of the prefix ψυχο-, as the first lexical component in Byzantine and post-Byzantine legal terminology, which created new lexemes, such as ψυχικό, ψυχάριον, ψυχοδοτῶ, ψυχομερίδι, ψυχοπαίδι, etc., integrated into the medieval and modern Greek language as neologisms in legal and unofficial documents and in literary texts. These neologisms were induced firstly obliquely in the Hellenistic period by the Stoic school in their pursue of temperance, justice, and virtue ethics, being apprehensive about the treatment of slaves, until then considered merely chattels and thus lifeless article of property; and later deeply induced by the Christian doctrine, highly focused on the salvation of the soul. A diachronic analysis of legal provisions shows both an increase of concern on behalf of the ius graecoromanorum about the persisting practice of child abandonment and adoption procedures and about the problems arising from property rights and inheritance.