The Verb that Gave Name to Ontology. A Linguistic Approach to Classical Metaphysics

In this article I put forward a linguistic approach to classical ontology and suggest that the Greek concept of 'being' was determined by the properties of the verb epsilon iota mu iota. In the first place, I characterize this word as a lexically weak, supportive and stative verb with imperfective aspect. In the second place, I associate the features of epsilon iota mu iota. with the polysemic expression of being as well as with the philosophical opposition between the permanence of being and the transience of becoming.