ħliefa
Maltese
[edit]| Root |
|---|
| ħ-l-f |
| 9 terms |
Etymology
[edit]From Arabic غِلاف (ḡilāf). The devoiced onset is due to a merger of the Arabic roots غ ل ف (ḡ l f) and خ ل ف (ḵ l f) in Maltese. Vassalli gives the verb ħellef, ħallef (“to peel, husk”) with both /ɣ/ and /x/, and does the same, vice versa, with ħlief (“except”). The semantic interface between them was probably the idea that the husk is that which is excluded and discarded.
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]ħliefa f (plural ħlifiet)