Etymological Study of Semitic Languages

[Pages:192]Etymological Study of Semitic Languages (Arabic and Hebrew)

Chapter four

Etymological Analysis Of Semitic Words

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Chapter four

Etymological Analysis Of Semitic Words

4.1 Words start with letter ( in Arabic) ( in Hebrew) (a)

4.1.1 Proto-Semitic: *'ab- (m.n). Root: *`b , *abw.

Arabic: `ab (m.n)229. Hebrew: 'b (m.n)230.

Other languages: AK. abu, Ug. `ab, Ph. `b, Ar. ab and aba, Gz. `ab 231. Ca. ab, or abw 232. Sy. `ba 233.

Meaning & Etymology: It is a primitive word, and is common for all Semitic languages. The sememe for this biradical `b is father, which it is used to express as ancestor, father, religious leader 234.

In Arabic it means father 235, also it constructs `b which means the month of August, It constructs also, 'abiy, 'abuw, 'ab 236. For many grammarians, it is a thiradical root `bw, and because of softening in speech it is used as `ab.

In Hebrew, both the meanings (August, father) are the same237. 'b also av (m.n) it means a Head of a family, Leader, chief, God, master, teacher, Parent (male). Name of the fifth month of Jewish calendar 238, and Principal239.

229 Kamal Al-Diyen, azim 'aliy. p.1 230 James Strong. Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, p.2 231 Militarev, Alexander. 2006 . Semitic Etymology \data\semham\semet&first=1 232 ababni, Yiya. "Al-lua al-kinaniyya" (Canaanite Language), p. 407 233 Louis Costaz, S.J. Syriac-English Dictionary, p.1 234 See Hecker, Bernice Varjick. The Biradical Origin of Semitic Roots , p.70 235 See Andras Rajki's A. E. D. Arabic Etymological Dictionary. 236 Kamal Al-Diyen, azim 'aliy. p.1 237 Gesenius, H.W.F. Hebrew Chaldea Lexicon to the Old Testament. p. 1, also Hebrew/Aramaic* Biblical Vocabulary. p 1. 238 Klein, Ernest. A comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language p.1 . See also Robinson, Edward. Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, p.2 239 The Dictionary of The Torah, p. 11

Etymological Study of Semitic Languages (Arabic and Hebrew)

According to D. Muhammad, the meaning of August had come to Arabic from the Akkadian word abu240. However, it is a primitive word in Arabic, and not a loan word. In addition, maybe it came from Arabic to Akkadian, but there is no evidence for that. In other languages the same main meaning (father) is found.

In conclusion, the Proto-Semitic word is *'ab- , and the original meaning is father. In addition, the original root is biradical root *`b, and with extension it becomes thiradical *'bw.

4.1.2 Proto-Semitic: *`ab (v). Root: *`by

Arabic: `ab (v)241. Hebrew: D?A?@ 'bh (v)242.

Other languages: Gz. `abaya (refuse), As. `abitu (be willing)243, Ak. abitu (will, desire)244. *y->-.

Meaning & Etymology: In Arabic, it means to refuse245, the root in Arabic is `by and y>a to be easily pronounced246, also it means to hate, so most of the meanings in Arabic have a main meaning which is to refuse, and it is opposite to the Hebrew in meaning.

In Hebrew, it means willing, want. In James Strong dictionary, it is a primitive root; to breathe after, i.e. (Figuratively) to be acquiescent, consent, rest content will, be willing247, and to accept, consent to248. So in Arabic it is regarded as a contrary signification. This phenomenon is found in most of the languages, even in the same language the meaning maybe contrast from one area to another. According to Noldeke the Hebrew word D?A?@ 'bh mostly had a negative meaning and a negative part, @?L law was only added for the sake of emphasis. W.M, Muller compares Egyptian `bj (equal to Semitic `by) which means both "to want, wish", and "to refuse". The sense development of

240 Dr. Muhammed. Dictionary of Akkadian Words, in Ancient Oriental, Greek and Latin Language. p.1 241 Kamal Al-Diyen, azim 'aliy. p.2 242 James Strong. Strong's Hebrew Dictionary. p.3 243 Kamal Al-Diyen, azim 'aliy. p.2 244 Klein, Ernest. A comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language p.1 245 Andras Rajki's A. E. D. Arabic Etymological Dictionary. p.1 246 Ibn Manur. "Lisan Al-rab" ( The tongue of Arabs), (Arabic- Arabic Dictionary). p. 15 247 James Strong. Strong's Hebrew Dictionary. p.3 248 Hebrew/Aramaic Biblical Vocabulary , p.1

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Etymological Study of Semitic Languages (Arabic and Hebrew)

this Egyptian verb seems to have been "he wanted, he wanted forcefully, he refused energetically" 249.

In conclusion, probably the proto meaning for *`ab (v) in Arabic is to refuse and that meaning is still used. In Hebrew, probably the later development for this meaning becomes willing, want. In addition, the proto root is *`by. In Hebrew *-y>- in normal use as in Arabic.

4.1.3 Proto-Semitic: *'adam (n). Root: *`dm

Arabic: `adam (proper noun). Hebrew: M?C?@ `dm (m.n).

Other languages: Gz. `adaam (human-man), Sy. `dm (human-man) 250. Ca. `dm (human-man) 251.

Meaning & Etymology: According to Hecker 252 the biradical origin for this root in Semitic languages is dm, which its Sememe means blood, and used to express as red, blood, menses, sour, gall, and poisons.

In Arabic, `adam is a proper name, and the name of First Prophet. 'admah (n) means relation, association, companionship, approval, and the way to do something. 'adama (v) means to domesticate. 'adiym (n) means leather, or red leather and tanned skin, another meaning is crust. 'admah means brownness and by that, they named the first prophet as 'adam, who according to them had a brownness skin. Some of Arabic grammarian considered the name 'adam is derived from 'adam which means soil, because God created him from soil or crust253.

In Hebrew M?C?@ `dm means the name of the First Man, also of a place in Palestine. In addition, `adam means to show blood (in the face), i.e. flush or turn rosy: be (dyed, made) red (ruddy). Moreover, a human being (an individual or the species, humankind,...)254. M?C?@ 'adom rosy: red, ruddy. M?C?@ `odem redness, i.e. the ruby, garnet, or some other red gem. In detail, the meanings of this word in old Hebrew are 1-Man (perhaps so-called from the

249 Klein, Ernest. A comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language, p.1 250 Kamal Al-Diyen, azim 'aliy. p.11 251 ababni, Yiya. "Al-lua al-kinaniyya" (Canaanite Language). p.407 252 Hecker, Bernice Varjick. The Biradical Origin of Semitic Roots. p.68 253 See all these meanings in "Lisan Al-rab" ( The tongue of Arabs), (Arabic- Arabic Dictionary), by Ibn Manur, p.44 254 James Strong. Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, p.12

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Etymological Study of Semitic Languages (Arabic and Hebrew)

idea of redness). 2-Any one, with a negative particle, no one. 3-The first manmade. 4-Son of man used in poet for man255. In Torah dictionary, it is a primary level of thought assembling as the offspring/projections of Elohim (God)256.

In conclusion, the main meaning for *'adam (n) is man, human. In addition, the proto root is *`dm. It can be said that the meaning probably was red (like blood colour), crust (soil) and from this meaning the name of prophet 'dam came.

4.1.4 Proto-Semitic: *`aad (n). Root: *`d

Arabic: `aad (n). Hebrew: , 'ead (n).

Other languages: Ca. `d, wd/ d 257, Gz. `adu, Ar. ad. Sy. ad, As. `du258.

Meaning & Etymology: It is a primitive word, and the root of it is a biradical d, and that Sememe means one, and used to express as one, single, solitary, make one (unite)259.

In Arabic, according to Ibn Manur's dictionary, the origin root is wd, so w>`, and by comparing to other Semitic languages the root must be *`d not wd. Al-aad is holy name of God, which means the only one because God is only one, other meanings one, single, matchless, unique, lonely260.

In Hebrew, in the Dictionary of Torah, the main meaning is one. Other meanings are unity, initiation, primal cause261. In Modern Hebrew as in James Strong dictionary, it means properly, united, i.e. one, or (as an ordinal) first, alike, alone, altogether, eleven, every, few, first, highway, a man, once, only, other, some, together262. In Hebrew/Aramaic Biblical Vocabulary, it means one, same, single, first, each, unity263. After referring these meanings it can be

255 Gesenius, H.W.F. Hebrew Chaldea Lexicon to the Old Testament. p.13 256 The Dictionary of The Torah, p. 15 257 ababni, Yiya. "Al-lua al-kinaniyya" (Canaanite Language). p.408 258 Kamal Al-Diyen, azim 'aliy. p.8 259 Hecker, Bernice Varjick. The Biradical Origin of Semitic Roots. p.73 260 Ibn Manur, "Lisan Al-rab" ( The tongue of Arabs), (Arabic- Arabic Dictionary) p.35 261 The Dictionary of The Torah, p.21 262 James Strong. Strong's Hebrew Dictionary. p.24 263 Hebrew/Aramaic Biblical Vocabulary, p.2

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Etymological Study of Semitic Languages (Arabic and Hebrew)

said the etymological meaning for this word in Hebrew is one, single, first, someone 264, and with comparison with other Semitic languages, it is found that the proto meaning is one.

4.1.5 Proto-Semitic: *'a- (m.n). Root: *', *`w

Arabic: `a (m.n). Hebrew: G?@ ` (m.n) construct IG?@ `i my brother, _I?G?@ `aeyk, MKI?G@ aeykem pl. MI?G?@. `eym.

Other languages: Ak. au, Ug. `a (also `i, `u), Ph. `h 265. Ca. ` and `w266. Sy. `aa As. `au, Gz. `ew 267. In all these languages, it means brother.

Meaning & Etymology: It is a primitive word. In all the Semitic languages, the main meaning is brother.

In Arabic, Ibn Manur in his dictionary put this word `a (brother) under the root `. Then he considered `w as the origin root. The lost letter ?w appears in plural form: `iwah and `iwan. Moreover, it appears in adjective form `aawiy means brotherly 268 . For many grammarians, it is a thiradical root `w, and because of softening in speech it used as `a.

In Hebrew, other meanings in Bible Hebrew are 1-any relatives, Kinsman, 2-a man of the same tribe, 3-one of the same people, 4-an ally, confederate, 5any friend, 6-any other man, united to us only by the tie to human race, 7tropically it expresses some similarities of dispositions or manners 269 . Pronouncing this word equals to what in Arabic 'aa (to cough)270 which is made from the cough sound, but that is not the same word. In Hebrew the letter >, so the original sound is not , and the word which has the same meaning in Arabic is `a which means brother. In Modern Hebrew, the sound returns to the origin pronunciation (ach, oach). According to Dr. Bernice

264 Klein, Ernest. A comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language p.17 265 see Militarev, Alexander. 2006 . Semitic Etymology \data\semham\semet&first=1 266 ababni, Yiya. "Al-lua al-kinaniyya" (Canaanite Language). p.408 267 Kamal Al-Diyen, azim 'aliy. p.9 268 Ibn Manur, "Lisan Al-rab" (The tongue of Arabs), (Arabic- Arabic Dictionary) p.40 269 Gesenius, H.W.F. Hebrew Chaldea Lexicon to the Old Testament. p.27 see also some similar meanings in The Dictionary of The Torah, p.20 270 Ibn Manur, "Lisan Al-rab" (The tongue of Arabs), (Arabic- Arabic Dictionary) p.34

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Etymological Study of Semitic Languages (Arabic and Hebrew)

Hecker the root of this word is biradical origin*', and its Sememe is brother271.

In conclusion, the original meaning for *'a- (m.n) is brother. In addition, the proto root is *' and with extension it becomes thiradical *'w.

4.1.6 Proto-Semitic: *'a/ut (f.n). Root: *', *`w

Arabic: `ut (f.n). Hebrew: Z]G?@ `howt (f.n).

Other languages: Ak. atu, Ug. at, Ph. `ht, Ar. `ht, Sa. ht Ma. ahata (pl. `ahwt), Gz. `eet,272 Ca. `t 273, Sy. ata 274. The suffix ?t is a feminine marker.

Meaning & Etymology: It is a primitive word, the meaning in most Semitic languages is sister.

In Arabic, Ibn Manur in his dictionary put this word `ut (f.n) under the root `. Then he considered the origin root is `w. For some, the suffix ?t is feminine marker, and for some it came instead of the lost letter ?w and the motion u referred to the lost letter, so it was like this: `awah > `uah > `ut . ?ah>-t . They said that; because the root for them in Arabic must be three letters, the lost letter ?w appears in plural form `aawat (pl.f.n). But as the biradical theory which it can say simply *`+-t (feminine marker)> `ut. The main meaning for `ut (f.n) is sister, also companion, and woman of same nationality or society275.

Other meanings in Hebrew are sister (same father different mother, either parent it). In Torah dictionary, Z]G?@ `ht (f.n) means a companion, friend; strength to uphold another to achieve renewal and change; strength276.

271 Hecker, Bernice Varjick. The Biradical Origin of Semitic Roots. p.68 272 see Militarev, Alexander. 2006 . Semitic Etymology \data\semham\semet&first=1 273 ababni, Yiya. "Al-lua al-kinaniyya" (Canaanite Language). p.408 274 Kamal Al-Diyen, azim 'aliy. p.10 275 Ibn Manur, "Lisan Al-rab" ( The tongue of Arabs), (Arabic- Arabic Dictionary) p.41 276 The Dictionary of The Torah, p.21 and: Klein, Ernest. A comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language p.17

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Etymological Study of Semitic Languages (Arabic and Hebrew)

Therefore, the original meaning for *'a/ut (f.n) is sister. In addition, the original root could be biradical root *', and with extension becomes thiradical *'w.

4.1.7 Proto-Semitic: *'ins/s (m.n). Root: *'ns/s. Biradical *ns/s

Arabic: `ins (m.n). Hebrew: [?P???@ 'enas, []P?@ `?n s (m.n).

Other languages: Ak. nis (mankind). Ug. `ins (people), `inst (relatives) nsm (people, men). Ar. `ns (man). Md. `anasa, nasa (human being). Sb. `ns (man)277, As. nisu (people, men), Sy. nasa (people, men)278.

Meaning & Etymology: It is a primitive word, and according to Dr. Hecker the biradical form in proto-Semitic is *ns, and this Sememe means human, and used to express as human, frail, man, woman, friendly 279.

In Arabic, the root `ns. `insn means (n) mankind, people, human, person, human being, man280. `aniys (adj) friendly, `annasa )v( entertain, amuse. `uns (n) amiability, friendliness, sociability. In addition, the word al-`insn means Adam (the prophet). To search for the origin word `insn (n) human, the grammarians and religious people were considered it from `nysiyn, or `insiyn from root nasiya forgot (v) because man forgot God commands. This opinion is agreed because the word nass (human) from root nasiya (forgot) (v), but the other word `nsn from the root 'ns `anisa (v), `aniys (adj) means affable.

In Hebrew, [?P???@ 'enas , []P?@ `?ns means man281. In Torah Dictionary []P?@ `?ns (enosh) also means kindness, benevolence, principles, desiring/ displaying, the unity of wisdom282. In Klin's Dictionary `?ns (enosh) means people, mankind 283, and the human race 284. Therefore, main meaning in Hebrew is man, human.

277 Militarev, Alexander. 2006 . Semitic Etymology \data\semham\semet&first=1 278 Kamal Al-Diyen, azim 'aliy. p.32 279 Hecker, Bernice Varjick. The Biradical Origin of Semitic Roots, p.71 280 Ibn Manur. "Lisan Al-rab" ( The tongue of Arabs), (Arabic- Arabic Dictionary), p.147 281 James Strong. Strong's Hebrew Dictionary. p.55 282 The Dictionary of The Torah, p.31 283 Klein, Ernest. A comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language, p.39 284 Gesenius, H.W.F. Hebrew Chaldea Lexicon to the Old Testament, p.63

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