Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/paḥal-

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

*paḥal- m or f

1. lascivious body part on the inner of the thighs, adductors

Inflection

Masculine:

Declension of *paḥal-

case	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*paḥalum	*paḥalāna	plural stem + *-ūna
accusative	*paḥalam	*paḥalayna	plural stem + *-īna
genitive	*paḥalim
possessive forms
1st person	*paḥalī / *paḥalVya	—	*paḥalVni
2nd person m	*paḥalVka	*paḥalVkumā / *paḥalVkumay	*paḥalVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*paḥalVki		*paḥalVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*paḥalVšu	*paḥalVšumā / *paḥalVšumay	*paḥalVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*paḥalVša		*paḥalVšin(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: *paḥaluya for nom. case, *paḥaliya for gen. case, *paḥalaya for acc. case, etc.

Femenine:

Declension of *paḥal-

case	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*paḥalum	*paḥalāna	*paḥalātum
accusative	*paḥalam	*paḥalayna	*paḥalātim
genitive	*paḥalim
possessive forms
1st person	*paḥalī / *paḥalVya	—	*paḥalVni
2nd person m	*paḥalVka	*paḥalVkumā / *paḥalVkumay	*paḥalVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*paḥalVki		*paḥalVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*paḥalVšu	*paḥalVšumā / *paḥalVšumay	*paḥalVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*paḥalVša		*paḥalVšin(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: *paḥaluya for nom. case, *paḥaliya for gen. case, *paḥalaya for acc. case, etc.

Descendants

• East Semitic:
  • Akkadian: 𒁍𒄩𒇻 (puḫālum, “breeding animal, stud, ram, bull, stallion, drake”)
  • Akkadian: [script needed] (paḫallu, “inner thigh”)
• West Semitic:
  • Central Semitic:
    • Arabic: فَحْل (faḥl, “stallion; male palm”)
    • Northwest Semitic:
      • Aramaic:
        • Classical Mandaic: ࡐࡉࡇࡋࡀ (piḥlā, “phallus”)
        • Classical Syriac: ܦܱ݁ܚܠܳܐ (paḥlā, “stallion”), ܦܴ݁ܚܠܳܐ (pāḥlā, “testicle”), ܦܷ݁ܚܠܴܐ (peḥlā, “yearning for coition”)
      • Ugaritic: 𐎔𐎈𐎍 (pḥl /⁠paḥlu⁠/, “ass”)
  • Ethiopian Semitic:
    • Ge'ez: ፈሐል (fäḥäl), ፈሓል (fäḥal), ፋሕል (faḥl, “lascivousness”)
  • Modern South Arabian:
    • Mehri: faḥl, fēḥəl (“penis”)
    • Harsusi: feḥl (“penis”)
    • Shehri: fáḥəl (“penis”)
    • Soqotri: fáḥal (“penis”)

References

• Kogan, Leonid (2011) “Proto-Semitic Phonetics and Phonology”, 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 110
• Leslau, Wolf (1991) Comparative Dictionary of Geʿez (Classical Ethiopic), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, →ISBN, page 157
• Militarev, Alexander, Kogan, Leonid (2000) Semitic Etymological Dictionary, volumes I: Anatomy of Man and Animals, Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, →ISBN, page 185 Nr. 210