Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
List of Proto-Semitic roots
Proto-Semitic
This is a list of Proto-Semitic roots with their reflexes in several Semitic languages. Only roots attested in Akkadian, or with cognates in other Afro-Asiatic groups, can be confidently included in Proto-Semitic; others must be placed in West Semitic. There is some controversy in Semitic linguistics over the sibilants' pronunciation; see below.
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Semitic Sound Correspondences
The original value of the four sibilants here transcribed as /š, z, s, ṣ/ is controversial. The traditional values are as given, but in recent years /s, dz, ts, ṭṣ/ have been suggested, based on assimilations found in Akkadian. In the latter case, those values should be substituted into the Akkadian transcriptions as well.
Proto-Semitic Roots
| English | PS | Akkadian | Arabic | Hebrew | Syriac | Geez | Mehri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| earth | *ʾarṣ́- | erṣet- | ʾarḍ- | ʾéreṣ | ʾarʿ-ā | - | - |
| father | *ʾab- | ab- | ʾab- | ʾāḇ | ʾab-ā | ʾab | ḥa-yb |
| god | *ʾil-(āh)- | il- | ʾilāh- | ʾēl (but ʾĕlōh-îm) | ʾalāh-ā | - | - |
| house | bayt- | bītu, bētu | bayt- | báyiṯ, bêṯ | - | bet | beyt, bêt |
| husband | baʿl- | bēlu | baʿl- | báʿal | b·ʿ·l | baʿāl | bâl |
| king | malik- | malku, maliku | malik- | méleḵ | - | - | - |
| milk | ḥalīb- | ḫilpu | ḥalīb-, ḥalab- | ḥālāḇ | ḥalb-ā | ḥalīb | - |
| name | *šm- | šum- | ism- | šēm | šm-ā | səm | ham |
| peace | *šalām- | šalām- | salām- | šālôm | šlām-ā | salām | səlōm |
| sun | *śamš- | šamšu | šams- | šémeš | šemš | - | - |
| tree | *ʿiṣ- | iṣu, iṣṣu | ʿiḍ-at- | ʿēṣ | - | ʿeḍ | - |
| water | *may-/*māy- | mū | māʾ- | máyim | may-ā | māy | ḥə-mō |
Body parts
| English | PS | Akkadian | Arabic | Hebrew | Syriac | Geez | Mehri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| blood | *dam- | - | dam- | dām | dm-ā | dam | - |
| eye | *ʿayn- | īn- | ʿayn- | ʿáyin | ʿayn-ā | ʿayn | ʾāyn |
| hand | *yad- | id- | yad- | yāḏ | ʾīdā | ʾəd | ḥayd |
| heart | *libb- | libb- | lubb- | lēḇ | leb-ā | ləbb | ḥa-wbēb |
| tongue | *lišān-/*lašān- | lišān- | lisān- | lāšôn | lešān-ā | ləsān | əwšēn |
| tooth | *šinn- | šinn- | sinn- | šēn | šenn-ā | sənn | - |
Animal names
| English | PS | Akkadian | Arabic | Hebrew | Syriac | Geez | Mehri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| camel | *gam(a)l- | gammal- (gaml-) | gamal-/jamal- | gāmāl | gaml-ā | gamal | gəmmōl |
| dog | *kalb- | kalb- | kalb- | kéleḇ | kalb-ā | kalb | ? |
| ewe | *raḫil- | laḫru | riḫl(at)- | rāḫēl | - | - | - |
Proto-West-Semitic Roots
This is a list of cognates for which no Akkadian cognate is known or attested.
| English | PWS | Arabic | Hebrew | Syriac | Geez | Mehri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bee | *dVb(V)r- | dabr-, dibr- | dəḇōrāh | debbōr-ā, debbor-t-ā | - | - |
| holy | *ḳudš- | quds | ḳāḏēš | qudš-ā | - | - |
| son | *bn- | ibn | bēn | br-ā | - | bər, ḥə-brē |
| white | *laban- | laban (> "buttermilk") | lāḇān | - | - | lbōn |
External links
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