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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Lexical question

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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: Vadim Cherny <him AT vadimcherny.org>
  • Cc: B-Hebrew List <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Lexical question
  • Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:48:59 -0400

Every Hebrew word is derived from a meaningful root. Words derived from the same root need not be "horizontally" related. Think about the minimal pairs KPOR, 'frost, crust", and KPIR, 'lion'; or "KESEP", 'silver'', and KISUPIM, 'yearning'.
The basic meaning of $Q is 'elevated, elongated, large, piled up'. $UK is an elevated (paved?) path, $OK is the long and fleshy [SAGI)] leg part. The modern Hebrew $QIQAH, 'eagerness, desire', from the biblical root $QQ, is an emotional build-up.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Jul 31, 2009, at 3:04 PM, Vadim Cherny wrote:

The thing is, Hebrew lacks homonyms. What you see as homonyms are
actually related meanings. As Karl saw for himself, finding the common
meaning requires some study but it is always there. This is a function
of root cells. I take Steinberg's dictionary for a fine example of such
search.

Vadim Cherny


Ishinan: My suggestion is to apply the comparative method among other daughter Semitic languages (such as Akkadian, Ugaritic, Arabic, Ge?ez, etc.) to your examples. Consult the respective Proto-Semitic etymologies. You'll actually discover that the examples you gave above are homonyms.

I have found that sometimes the entries in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible can be misleading.

For example:

7783 shuwq overflow, water.
7784 shuwq shook street.
7785 showq shoke the (lower) leg/shin.

These are not related. Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Ishinan B. Ishibashi









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