Proto-Semitic
This is a list of Proto-Semitic roots with their reflexes in several Semitic languages. Only roots attested in Akkadian, or with cognates in other Afro-Asiatic groups, can be confidently included in Proto-Semitic; others must be placed in West Semitic. There is some controversy in Semitic linguistics over the sibilants' pronunciation; see below.
Semitic Sound Correspondences
The original value of the four sibilants here transcribed as /š, z, s, ṣ/ is controversial. The traditional values are as given, but in recent years /s, dz, ts, ṭṣ/ have been suggested, based on assimilations found in Akkadian. In the latter case, those values should be substituted into the Akkadian transcriptions as well.
Proto-Semitic Roots
| English
| PS
| Akkadian
| Arabic
| Hebrew
| Syriac
| Geez
| Mehri
|
| earth
| *ʾarṣ́-
| erṣet-
| ʾarḍ-
| ʾéreṣ
| ʾarʿ-ā
| -
| -
|
| father
| *ʾab-
| ab-
| ʾab-
| ʾāḇ
| ʾab-ā
| ʾab
| ḥa-yb
|
| god
| *ʾil-(āh)-
| il-
| ʾilāh-
| ʾēl (but ʾĕlōh-îm)
| ʾalāh-ā
| -
| -
|
| house
| bayt-
| bītu, bētu
| bayt-
| báyiṯ, bêṯ
| -
| bet
| beyt, bêt
|
| husband
| baʿl-
| bēlu
| baʿl-
| báʿal
| b·ʿ·l
| baʿāl
| bâl
|
| king
| malik-
| malku, maliku
| malik-
| méleḵ
| -
| -
| -
|
| milk
| ḥalīb-
| ḫilpu
| ḥalīb-, ḥalab-
| ḥālāḇ
| ḥalb-ā
| ḥalīb
| -
|
| name
| *šm-
| šum-
| ism-
| šēm
| šm-ā
| səm
| ham
|
| peace
| *šalām-
| šalām-
| salām-
| šālôm
| šlām-ā
| salām
| səlōm
|
| sun
| *śamš-
| šamšu
| šams-
| šémeš
| šemš
| -
| -
|
| tree
| *ʿiṣ-
| iṣu, iṣṣu
| ʿiḍ-at-
| ʿēṣ
| -
| ʿeḍ
| -
|
| water
| *may-/*māy-
| mū
| māʾ-
| máyim
| may-ā
| māy
| ḥə-mō
|
Body parts
| English
| PS
| Akkadian
| Arabic
| Hebrew
| Syriac
| Geez
| Mehri
|
| blood
| *dam-
| -
| dam-
| dām
| dm-ā
| dam
| -
|
| eye
| *ʿayn-
| īn-
| ʿayn-
| ʿáyin
| ʿayn-ā
| ʿayn
| ʾāyn
|
| hand
| *yad-
| id-
| yad-
| yāḏ
| ʾīdā
| ʾəd
| ḥayd
|
| heart
| *libb-
| libb-
| lubb-
| lēḇ
| leb-ā
| ləbb
| ḥa-wbēb
|
| tongue
| *lišān-/*lašān-
| lišān-
| lisān-
| lāšôn
| lešān-ā
| ləsān
| əwšēn
|
| tooth
| *šinn-
| šinn-
| sinn-
| šēn
| šenn-ā
| sənn
| -
|
Animal names
| English
| PS
| Akkadian
| Arabic
| Hebrew
| Syriac
| Geez
| Mehri
|
| camel
| *gam(a)l-
| gammal- (gaml-)
| gamal-/jamal-
| gāmāl
| gaml-ā
| gamal
| gəmmōl
|
| dog
| *kalb-
| kalb-
| kalb-
| kéleḇ
| kalb-ā
| kalb
| ?
|
| ewe
| *raḫil-
| laḫru
| riḫl(at)-
| rāḫēl
| -
| -
| -
|
Proto-West-Semitic Roots
This is a list of cognates for which no Akkadian cognate is known or attested.
| English
| PWS
| Arabic
| Hebrew
| Syriac
| Geez
| Mehri
|
| bee
| *dVb(V)r-
| dabr-, dibr-
| dəḇōrāh
| debbōr-ā, debbor-t-ā
| -
| -
|
| holy
| *ḳudš-
| quds
| ḳāḏēš
| qudš-ā
| -
| -
|
| son
| *bn-
| ibn
| bēn
| br-ā
| -
| bər, ḥə-brē
|
| white
| *laban-
| laban (> "buttermilk")
| lāḇān
| -
| -
| lbōn
|
External links
