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  • From: "Phil King" <phil_king AT sil.org>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] The root ayin-teth-pe
  • Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:09:29 -0500


Looking for some help from the lexicographical experts, and those who know
cognate languages better than me:

The root ayin-teth-pe is given three senses in BDB - 'turn aside','envelop
oneself','be feeble, faint'. These would appear to me (from my English
semantic grid) to be homonyms rather than polysemous senses (i.e. there don't
seem to be motivated etymological links between the three senses). However,
reading the article 'The imagery of clothing, covering and overpowering' by
Nahum Waldman (JANESCU 19, 1989, I was surprised to see him quote Jonah 2.8
as 'when my life was ebbing away (lit. 'when my soul wraps itself upon me')'
(p.169) - interpreting the 'feeble / faint' sense as derived from the
'enveloping' one. I haven't seen these two senses linked in any other
lexicons (but then, I don't have many to look at!). It would be nice for my
thesis if I could substantiate a link, beyond just Waldman's assertion, but
my knowledge of other languages is not up to it.

Can anyone with a better knowledge of Aramaic, Arabic or Akkadian help me
evaluate this link between the senses? Eg. are cognate roots also used with
both senses? Or can anyone direct me to a lexicon which unites these senses?


Thanks for the help,

Phil King
PhD Candidate
Eastern Highlands, PNG




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