Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ʔabn-

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 edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Afroasiatic *ʾabun-.

Noun edit

*ʔabn- m

stone

Inflection edit

Declension of *ʔabn-

Case

Singular

Dual

Plural

Nominative

*ʔabnum

*ʔabnāna

plural stem + *-ūna

Genitive

*ʔabnim

*ʔabnayna

plural stem + *-īna

Accusative

*ʔabnam

possessive forms

1st person

*ʔabnī / *ʔabnVya

—

*ʔabnVni

2nd person m

*ʔabnVka

*ʔabnVkumā / *ʔabnVkumay

*ʔabnVkum(ū)

2nd person f

*ʔabnVki

*ʔabnVkin(ā)

3rd person m

*ʔabnVšu

*ʔabnVšumā / *ʔabnVšumay

*ʔabnVšum(ū)

3rd person f

*ʔabnVša

*ʔabnVšin(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: *ʔabnuya for nom. case, *ʔabniya for gen. case, *ʔabnaya for acc. case, etc.

Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *ʔabn-

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ʔabnuka	*ʔabnāka	plural stem + *-ūka
Genitive	*ʔabnika	*ʔabnayka	plural stem + *-īka
Accusative	*ʔabnaka	*ʔabnayka	plural stem + *-īka

Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *ʔabn-

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ʔabnuki	*ʔabnāki	plural stem + *-ūki
Genitive	*ʔabniki	*ʔabnayki	plural stem + *-īki
Accusative	*ʔabnaki	*ʔabnayki	plural stem + *-īki

Descendants edit

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒎎 (abnum)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Aramaic: אַבְנָא (ʾaḇnā)
      - Classical Syriac: ܐܰܒܢܳܐ (ʾaḇnā)
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: אֶבֶן (éven, ʾéḇen)
      - Phoenician: 𐤀𐤁𐤍 (ʾbn)
        Punic: 𐤀𐤁𐤍 (ʾbn)
    - Ugaritic: 𐎀𐎁𐎐 (ảbn /⁠ʾabnu⁠/)
  - Old South Arabian:
    - Minaean: 𐩱𐩨𐩬 (ʾbn)
    - Qatabanian: 𐩱𐩨𐩬 (ʾbn)
    - Sabaean: 𐩱𐩨𐩬 (ʾbn)
- Ethiopian Semitic:
  - Ge'ez: እብን (ʾəbn)
  - Harari: ኡን (ʾun)
  - Tigre: እብን (ʾəbn)
  - Tigrinya: እምኒ (ʾəmni)
- Modern South Arabian:
  - Soqotri: أأبن (óʔobən)

References edit

Kogan, Leonid (2011) “Proto-Semitic Lexicon”, 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 190
Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN
Orel, Vladimir E., Stolbova, Olga V. (1995) Hamito-Semitic Etymological Dictionary: Materials for a Reconstruction (Handbuch der Orientalistik; I.18), Leiden, New York, Köln: E.J. Brill, page 3