Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ṯ̣upr-

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

Noun

*ṯ̣upr- or *ṯ̣ipr- m

nail
claw

Inflection

Declension of *ṯ̣upr-

Case

Singular

Dual

Plural

Nominative

*ṯ̣uprum

*ṯ̣uprāna

plural stem + *-ūna

Genitive

*ṯ̣uprim

*ṯ̣uprayna

plural stem + *-īna

Accusative

*ṯ̣upram

possessive forms

1st person

*ṯ̣uprī / *ṯ̣uprVya

—

*ṯ̣uprVni

2nd person m

*ṯ̣uprVka

*ṯ̣uprVkumā / *ṯ̣uprVkumay

*ṯ̣uprVkum(ū)

2nd person f

*ṯ̣uprVki

*ṯ̣uprVkin(ā)

3rd person m

*ṯ̣uprVšu

*ṯ̣uprVšumā / *ṯ̣uprVšumay

*ṯ̣uprVšum(ū)

3rd person f

*ṯ̣uprVša

*ṯ̣uprVšin(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: *ṯ̣upruya for nom. case, *ṯ̣upriya for gen. case, *ṯ̣upraya for acc. case, etc.

Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *ṯ̣upr-

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ṯ̣upruka	*ṯ̣uprāka	plural stem + *-ūka
Genitive	*ṯ̣uprika	*ṯ̣uprayka	plural stem + *-īka
Accusative	*ṯ̣upraka	*ṯ̣uprayka	plural stem + *-īka

Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *ṯ̣upr-

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ṯ̣upruki	*ṯ̣uprāki	plural stem + *-ūki
Genitive	*ṯ̣upriki	*ṯ̣uprayki	plural stem + *-īki
Accusative	*ṯ̣upraki	*ṯ̣uprayki	plural stem + *-īki

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒌢 (ṣuprum)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: ظُفْر (ẓufr), ظُفُر (ẓufur), ظِفْر (ẓifr)
    - Egyptian Arabic: ضفر (ḍufr)
    - Gulf Arabic: ظفر m (ḏ̣ifir)
    - Hijazi Arabic: ظفر m (ḍifir, ḏ̣ifir)
    - Maltese: difer m
  - Aramaic: טֻפְרָא (ṭuprā)
    - Classical Syriac: ܛܶܦ݂ܪܳܐ (ṭeprā)
    - → Israeli Hebrew: טֹפֶר m (tófer, ṭṓfer)
  - Canaanite:
    - Hebrew: צִפֹּרֶן f (tsippóren, ṣippṓren)
- Ethiopian Semitic:
  - Amharic: ጥፍር (ṭəfər)
  - Ge'ez: ጽፍር (ṣəfr)
  - Sebat Bet Gurage: ጥፍር (ṭəfər)
  - Tigrinya: ጽፍሪ (ṣəfri)
  - Tigre: ጽፍር (ṣəfər)
- Modern South Arabian:
  - Mehri: ḏ̣éfɛ́r
  - Shehri: śɛ́fər, ɛśpɔ́r
  - Soqotri: ṭifer

References

Kogan, Leonid (2011) “Proto-Semitic Lexicon”, in Weninger, Stefan, editor, The Semitic Languages. An International Handbook (Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft – Handbooks of Linguistics and Communication Science; 36), Berlin: De Gruyter, →ISBN, page 224
Leslau, Wolf (1991) Comparative Dictionary of Geʿez (Classical Ethiopic), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, →ISBN, page 549