Jump to content

Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/birk-

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Proto-Afroasiatic. Probably cognate with Afar gulúb considering metathesis. See there for further cognates.

Noun

[edit]

*birk- m or f

  1. knee

Reconstruction notes

[edit]

In Common Semitic there was a metathetic root formed, which yielded *ruk(u)b-at- "knee" (cf. Arabic رُكْبَة (rukba)), both of which had reflexes preserved in Arabic, Aramaic and Ethiopic (Ge'ez).

Inflection

[edit]

Masculine:

Declension of *birk-
case singular dual plural
nominative *birkum *birkāna plural stem + *-ūna
accusative *birkam *birkayna plural stem + *-īna
genitive *birkim
possessive forms
1st person *birkī / *birkVya *birkVni
2nd person m *birkVka *birkVkumā / *birkVkumay *birkVkum(ū)
2nd person f *birkVki *birkVkin(ā)
3rd person m *birkVšu *birkVšumā / *birkVšumay *birkVšum(ū)
3rd person f *birkVša *birkVšin(ā)

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: *birkuya for nom. case, *birkiya for gen. case, *birkaya for acc. case, etc.

Femenine:

Declension of *birk-
case singular dual plural
nominative *birkum *birkāna *birkātum
accusative *birkam *birkayna *birkātim
genitive *birkim
possessive forms
1st person *birkī / *birkVya *birkVni
2nd person m *birkVka *birkVkumā / *birkVkumay *birkVkum(ū)
2nd person f *birkVki *birkVkin(ā)
3rd person m *birkVšu *birkVšumā / *birkVšumay *birkVšum(ū)
3rd person f *birkVša *birkVšin(ā)

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: *birkuya for nom. case, *birkiya for gen. case, *birkaya for acc. case, etc.

Descendants

[edit]
  • East Semitic:
    • Akkadian: 𒄭 (birkum)
  • West Semitic:

See also

[edit]