Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/dubb-

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

Etymology

Perhaps related to Egyptian db (“hippopotamus”) and Central Atlas Tamazight ⴰⴱⴰⴱⴱⵓⵥ (ababbuẓ, “bear”).

Noun

*dubb- m

1. bear

Inflection

Declension of *dubb-

Case	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*dubbum	*dubbāna	plural stem + *-ūna
Genitive	*dubbim	*dubbayna	plural stem + *-īna
Accusative	*dubbam
possessive forms
1st person	*dubbī / *dubbVya	—	*dubbVni
2nd person m	*dubbVka	*dubbVkumā / *dubbVkumay	*dubbVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*dubbVki		*dubbVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*dubbVšu	*dubbVšumā / *dubbVšumay	*dubbVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*dubbVša		*dubbVšin(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: *dubbuya for nom. case, *dubbiya for gen. case, *dubbaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *dubb- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *dubbuka *dubbāka plural stem + *-ūka Genitive *dubbika *dubbayka plural stem + *-īka Accusative *dubbaka Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *dubb- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *dubbuki *dubbāki plural stem + *-ūki Genitive *dubbiki *dubbayki plural stem + *-īki Accusative *dubbaki

Descendants

• East Semitic:
  • Akkadian: 𒁕𒁍𒌝 (dabûm)
• West Semitic:
  • Central Semitic:
    • Arabic: دُبّ (dubb)
      • Gulf Arabic: دب (dubb)
      • Maltese: debb
      • Moroccan Arabic: دب (dubb)
      • → Swahili: dubu
    • Northwest Semitic:
      • Aramaic:

        Biblical Aramaic: דֹּב (doḇ)

        Classical Syriac: ܕܷ݁ܒܴ݁ܐ (debbā)

        Imperial Aramaic: 𐡃𐡁𐡁 (dbb)

        Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: דּוּבָּא (dubbā)

        Jewish Literary Aramaic: דּוּבָּא (dubbā)

        Jewish Palestinian Aramaic: דּוּבּ (dubb)

      • Canaanite:
        • Hebrew: דֹּב (dov, dōḇ)
      • Ugaritic: 𐎄𐎁 (db /⁠dubbu⁠/)
  • Ethiopian Semitic:
    • Amharic: ድብ (dəbb)
    • Ge'ez: ድብ (dǝbb)
    • Tigre: ድብ (dǝbb)
    • Tigrinya: ድቢ (dǝbbi)