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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: Yaakov Stein <yaakov_s AT rad.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] $LY$ meaning "many"
  • Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 08:51:03 -0400

Yaakov,

It is conceivable that even the English 'three' is derived from 'many'. Compare 'trans-', and the French 'tres'.
the Hebrew names for quantities are certainly not random. I think that $L$ essentially means 'copious, extended, elongated, elevated', which is the basic meaning of the present day $AL$EL-ET, 'chain', and $O$EL-ET, 'dynasty'.
Notice that S, which I think is for SA), 'elevate', as in Psalms 24:7
שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וְהִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵי עוֹלָם
is present in all numbers except 'one' and 'four', ARBA, which comes from RB, 'many'.
It is conceivable that $ALI$ is the third man in a war chariot, being in charge of the team, of which one takes care of the horses, one maneuvers the shield and one holds the javelin. Otherwise, it is possibly a variant of $ALIT, 'nobleman, ruler'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
On May 4, 2008, at 12:03 AM, Yaakov Stein wrote:

In Psalms 80:6 we have the expression DM(OT $LY$
usually translated as "many tears" or "tears in great measure".

The word $LY$ is obviously related to the root $L$ for three.

There are primitive languages where the number system is
limited to ONE, TWO, THREE=MANY.
Could this $LY$ be an ancient form of "many" ?

Isaiah 40:12 also has the same word, but this time
it seems to mean a way of counting the number of grains of sand.
Once again, this seems to be a throwback to THREE=MANY,
only here the MANY is very large.

We also have the term H$LY$ used as a high-ranking army officer
(somehow downgraded in modern Hebrew to a "human resources" officer).
Could this be a captain over MANY soldiers ?

Yaakov (J) Stein

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