Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

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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