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  • From: Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>
  • To: Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>
  • Cc: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Negev
  • Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2004 03:03:38 -0800

On 26/01/2004 22:51, Yigal Levin wrote:

...
Judah is NOT part of the Negev (or Negeb). The noun "Negev" means "wiped
(dry)" and is used as the desert area adjacent to a settled area. ...


Is there any real evidence that this is ancient usage? I know it is later Hebrew, Jewish Aramaic and Syriac usage, but this may well be derived from the proper name Negev as the prototypical dried up land. K-B (HALOT) appears to quote evidence from Soqotran, but that is rather too remote in the absence of any other evidence in cognate languages. Is it not just as likely that the noun originally meant "south", and later came to be applied to a particular area cf. "the South"?

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/





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