Note 491 — APPENDIX I. THE NAMES OF THE LAW.

Dike is said to be derived from DIK, to show, point out, make known, this being itself a form of DA, to know; hence, practical knowledge, skill, the way a thing is done, custom. This suggestion might be considered ingenious, rather than convincing, were it not for the singular fact that the Teutonic languages exhibit a precisely similar process of thought. The English substantive wise means way or manner, and is yet the same word as wise, the adjective, and is derived from the root WID, to know. See also with the German Weise (way), weisen(to point out, direct), weise (wise). See Curtius, Grundzüge der Griechischen Etymologie, sub voc. dike. Skeat, sub voc. Wise, and list of Aryan Roots, 145 and 372.