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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: JimStinehart AT aol.com
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Biblia Hebraica transcripta
  • Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:09:37 -0400

Jim,

As I see it the Hebrew tri-literal root consists of three distinct uni-literal roots. In this, the root L [or if spoken AL-LA] represents elevation, and the root M [or if spoken AM-MA] represents bulk. The letters aleph and ayin are mere fillers. In this sense the roots (LM and )LM are essentially the same root. From the root (LM Hebrew derives, by the addition of personal pronouns or identity markers, the words (OLAM, 'time-space', (ELEM, 'big boy', (ALM-AH, 'big girl' and (ALUM-IM = (LUM-HEM, 'youth'. From the root )LM Hebrew derived the words )ALUM-AH, 'sheaf, shaft, beam, pile', as in Genesis 37:7, )ULAM, 'big hall, portico' as in 1 Kings 7:6. Also derived from it are )ILEM, and )LMAN-AH, translated as 'dumb, mute' and 'widow', respectively. We also encounter )ULAM in the sense of 'but, however, moreover, above all' as in Genesis 28:19. Hebrew speakers nowadays call a bully )LIM, and violence )ALIM-UT.
I am not sure if the letter yod in the name (EYLAM of Genesis 10:22 is radical or not. In any event, the fraction LAM refers to loftiness and massivity. Who or what is lofty and massive is not revealed to us, it could be the people and it could be the landscape. Venturing beyond this would be unsafe.
Notice that L is also found in the names )AMRAPEL, )ELASAR, KDARLA (OMER, )EYLAM and TID(AL of Genesis 14:1.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Mar 4, 2008, at 10:41 AM, JimStinehart AT aol.com wrote:


Isaac Fried:

You wrote: “The two words (ELEM, 'youth', and TA-(ALUMAH, 'mystery,
concealment', come from the same root essentially meaning 'amass, bury under'….”

Does ayin-yod-lamed-mem/(YLM at Genesis 14: 1 come from that same root? Is
it a west Semitic word? If so, would it mean the “Dissembler” country? “Bury
under” could mean “dissemble”, used in a negative sense. Or do you go with
the traditional view that ayin-yod-lamed-mem/(YLM is a non-west Semitic word
referencing a far-off, non-Semitic country?

Ayin-yod-lamed-mem/(YLM at Genesis 14: 1 sure looks like a perfectly good
west Semitic word to me. Does it “sound foreign” to you? Is it a non-Semitic
foreign loanword, borrowed directly from a non-Semitic country, or
alternatively borrowed indirectly via an east Semitic version of a non-Semitic word for a
non-Semitic country?

Ayin-yod-lamed-mem/(YLM at Genesis 14: 1 looks like a virgin pure west
Semitic word to me. To me, it has no exotic, foreign flavor at all. But you have a
much, much better feel for Biblical Hebrew than I do. What’s your take on
the linguistic background of ayin-yod-lamed-mem/(YLM at Genesis 14: 1? Is it
foreign/non-west Semitic?

Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois




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