Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ʔirbay-

This Proto-Semitic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Semitic

Alternative reconstructions

• *ʔarbay-

Etymology

From *ʔirb- +‎ *-ay- (“feminine suffix”).

Noun

*ʔirbay- f

1. locust

Inflection

Declension of *ʔirbay-

Case	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ʔirbayum	*ʔirbayāna	plural stem + *-ūna
Genitive	*ʔirbayim	*ʔirbayayna	plural stem + *-īna
Accusative	*ʔirbayam
possessive forms
1st person	*ʔirbayī / *ʔirbayVya	—	*ʔirbayVni
2nd person m	*ʔirbayVka	*ʔirbayVkumā / *ʔirbayVkumay	*ʔirbayVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*ʔirbayVki		*ʔirbayVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*ʔirbayVšu	*ʔirbayVšumā / *ʔirbayVšumay	*ʔirbayVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*ʔirbayVša		*ʔirbayVšin(ā)
Note: the endings -m and -na are dropped in the bound form, which may also undergo syncopation of an unstressed final vowel where possible. Note: the ending -V before the possessive endings responds to case: *ʔirbayuya for nom. case, *ʔirbayiya for gen. case, *ʔirbayaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *ʔirbay- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *ʔirbayuka *ʔirbayāka plural stem + *-ūka Genitive *ʔirbayika *ʔirbayayka plural stem + *-īka Accusative *ʔirbayaka Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *ʔirbay- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *ʔirbayuki *ʔirbayāki plural stem + *-ūki Genitive *ʔirbayiki *ʔirbayayki plural stem + *-īki Accusative *ʔirbayaki

Descendants

• East Semitic:
  • Akkadian: 𒉅𒄭𒀀 (erbum) (without feminine suffix)
  • Eblaite: 𒅕𒉈𒈝 (ir-bi₂-num₂ /⁠ʾerbênum⁠/), 𒉆𒆳 (BURU₅.KUR)
• West Semitic:
  • Central Semitic:
    • Arabic: إِرْبِيَان (ʔirbiyān, “shrimp”), رُوبِيَان (rūbiyān), رُوبْيَان (rūbyān), رُبْيَان (rubyān) (the former is exclusive in the first centuries of Classical Arabic)
    • Northwest Semitic:
      • Aramaic:

        Old Aramaic: 𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤄 (ʾrbh)

        • Classical Syriac: ܐܰܪܒܻ݁ܝܬܳܐ (ʾarbīṯā, “shrimp”)
      • Canaanite:
        • Biblical Hebrew: אַרְבֶּה (ʾarbɛ̂)
          • Israeli Hebrew: אַרְבֶּה (arbé)
      • Ugaritic: 𐎛𐎗𐎁𐎊 (ỉrby /⁠ʾirbayu⁠/)
    • Old South Arabian:
      • Sabaean: 𐩱𐩧𐩨𐩺 (ʾrby)
  • Ethiopian Semitic:
    • South Ethiopian:
      • ^? Gurage:
        • Chaha: ወረባ (wäräba, “kind of cockroach”)
        • Sebat Bet Gurage: ወረባ (wäräba, “kind of cockroach”)
        • Inor: ወረቫ (wäräḇa, “kind of cockroach”)
        • Kistane: ዎራባ (woraba, “kind of cockroach”)
        • Muher: ወረባ (wäräba, “kind of cockroach”)
  • Modern South Arabian:
    • Mehri: ḥarbyēt
    • Harsusi: harbēt
    • Shehri: ʾírbɔ́t
    • Soqotri: ʾerbhíyoh

References

• Militarev, Alexander, Kogan, Leonid (2000) Semitic Etymological Dictionary, volumes I: Anatomy of Man and Animals, Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, →ISBN, pages 15–16, Nr. 11