Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

The letters aleph and ayin are meaningless, they are mere filler  
letters. The words AB אב 'father', and AB עב 'cloud', are sounded  
today exactly the same way (but have different plurals). We know by  
context if it is cloud (namely, the thick klutzy clod of water  
hanging in the heavens), or it is father (namely, the thick klutzy  
clod of flesh and bones sitting at the head of the table, and rumored  
to have sired the children around him). So is final he. Thus, P (of  
the meaning 'up') is the root of both APAH אפה 'baked', and PAAH  
פאה 'extend'. AP עף is 'up', and so is AP אף 'nose'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Jan 30, 2011, at 8:00 PM, fred burlingame wrote:

> Hello Isaac:
>
> Thanks for your comments.
>
> I follow you somewhat.
>
> But what then is the root meaning of ע ayin in על ? Above?
>
> And what then is the root meaning of ע ayin in עב ? Thick, solid?
>
> And what is the root meaning of א alef in שאה ? Lift?
>
> I gather you disagree with this chart of root letter, base  
> meanings; and the corresponding evolution of the letter forms from  
> hieroglyphs?
>
> http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/28_chart.html
>
>
> http://net.lib.byu.edu/imaging/negev/Origins.html
>
>
> regards,
>
> fred burlingame
>
>
>
> On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 3:50 PM, Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu> wrote:
> This is, indeed, the ultimate question ––– the end of the  
> road. All Hebrew single-consonant roots (excepting R) are, in my  
> opinion, but existence markers, with an added shade of meaning. The  
> meaning of the root L is what it is in AL על 'above', the meaning  
> of the root B is what it is in AB עב 'thick, solid', the meaning  
> of the root $ is what it is in $)H שאה, 'lift' [compare $OA  
> שוע 'noble'], the root S is what it is in SA), 'carry, lift', and  
> so on. The root R indicates, in my opinion, plurality, namely, that  
> a material state consists of many free bodies, for instance RSQ,  
> PRQ, $BR, etc.. Then, there is context and usage.
>
> Isaac Fried, Boston University