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Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/kapp-

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

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Noun

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*kapp- f

  1. palm, hand
    Coordinate term: *raḥat-
    Holonym: *yad-

Usage notes

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It is probable that there was a distinction between *kapp- and *raḥat-: if it was that one denotes the inner side of the hand with the fingers and thumb and the other without it is difficult to decide which is which. Likely it was that *kapp- tendentially meant the cupped inner of the hand while *raḥat- meant the flat hand: this picture reflects in the tool names or technical meanings secondarily derived from the words.

Inflection

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Declension of *kapp-
case singular dual plural
nominative *kappum *kappāna plural stem + *-ūna
accusative *kappam *kappayna plural stem + *-īna
genitive *kappim
possessive forms
1st person *kappī / *kappVya *kappVni
2nd person m *kappVka *kappVkumā / *kappVkumay *kappVkum(ū)
2nd person f *kappVki *kappVkin(ā)
3rd person m *kappVšu *kappVšumā / *kappVšumay *kappVšum(ū)
3rd person f *kappVša *kappVšin(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: *kappuya for nom. case, *kappiya for gen. case, *kappaya for acc. case, etc.

Descendants

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  • East Semitic:
    • Akkadian: 𒀉 (kappum)
  • West Semitic: