Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/nahar-

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

*nahar- m or f

1. river

Inflection

Masculine:

Declension of *nahar-

Case	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*naharum	*naharāna	plural stem + *-ūna
Genitive	*naharim	*naharayna	plural stem + *-īna
Accusative	*naharam
possessive forms
1st person	*naharī / *naharVya	—	*naharVni
2nd person m	*naharVka	*naharVkumā / *naharVkumay	*naharVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*naharVki		*naharVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*naharVšu	*naharVšumā / *naharVšumay	*naharVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*naharVša		*naharVšin(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: *naharuya for nom. case, *nahariya for gen. case, *naharaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *nahar- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *naharuka *naharāka plural stem + *-ūka Genitive *naharika *naharayka plural stem + *-īka Accusative *naharaka Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *nahar- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *naharuki *naharāki plural stem + *-ūki Genitive *nahariki *naharayki plural stem + *-īki Accusative *naharaki

Feminine:

Declension of *nahar-

Case	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*naharum	*naharāna	*naharātum
Genitive	*naharim	*naharayna	*naharātim
Accusative	*naharam
possessive forms
1st person	*naharī / *naharVya	—	*naharVni
2nd person m	*naharVka	*naharVkumā / *naharVkumay	*naharVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*naharVki		*naharVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*naharVšu	*naharVšumā / *naharVšumay	*naharVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*naharVša		*naharVšin(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: *naharuya for nom. case, *nahariya for gen. case, *naharaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *nahar- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *naharuka *naharāka *naharātuka Genitive *naharika *naharayka *naharātika Accusative *naharaka Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *nahar- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *naharuki *naharāki *naharātuki Genitive *nahariki *naharayki *naharātiki Accusative *naharaki

Derived terms

• East Semitic:
  • Akkadian: 𒀀𒇉 (nārum)
• West Semitic:
  • Central Semitic:
    • Arabic: نَهْر (nahr), نَهَر (nahar) (see there for further descendants)
    • Northwest Semitic:
      • Aramaic:

        Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: נַהֲרָא (nahărā)

        • Classical Syriac: ܢܰܗܪܳܐ (nahrā)
      • Canaanite:
        • Hebrew: נָהָר (nahár, nāhār)
      • Ugaritic: 𐎐𐎅𐎗 (nhr /⁠naharu⁠/)

References

• Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN