Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

The Arabic root MDN has apparently a variant MTN, both corresponding to the 

Aramaic מתן MTN, 'wait', of which we have the המתין ,HI-MTIYN, 'waited', of today.

Also חדר המתנה XADAR HA-MTAN-AH, 'waiting room'. 

Also מתינות MTIN-UT, 'moderation, patience'. 

Also מיתון MIYTUN, slowdown, recession'.

They are possibly all related to אדן ADAN, and אזן AZAN, and אתן ATAN.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Apr 28, 2013, at 4:07 PM, Ishinan wrote:

Ishinan:  Dear John, you said: Historically in Arabic  (Arabic /madīna) it doesn't really mean 'city'.

 

I hope you are not insinuating that Arabic 'madiynah' is from the trilateral root dyn. Are you?

 

Actually, Arabic 'madiynah' is from a quite different trilateral root which is 'mdn'  meaning to dwell/to settle (*see definition below). The cardinal mistake often made, is to confuse it with B. Hebrew  'mdiynah', root of dyn' (as in Ezr 2:1) which is a cognate with Arabic 'dyn'.

 

 

Ishinan Ishibashi

 

 

 

*See Lisan al-Arab

مدن (لسان العرب)
مَدَنَ بالمكان: أَقام به، فِعْلٌ مُمات، ومنه المَدِينة، وهي فَعِيلة

 

 

Versus

 

والدَّيَّانُ: القَهَّارُ، والقاضي، والحاكِمُ