Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ḥamw-

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

According to Igor Diakonoff, the term is inherited from Proto-Afroasiatic *ḥamw- with Egyptian ḥmww (/⁠ḥamw⁠/), ḥmwt,^[1] typically used in the names of craftsmen, the mass of the labouring population in Ancient Egypt, referencing their figurative affiliation to the pharaoh.

Noun edit

*ḥamw- m (plural *ḥaman-)^[2]

father-in-law

Inflection edit

Declension of *ḥamw-

Case

Singular

Dual

Plural

Nominative

*ḥamwum

*ḥamwāna

*ḥamanūna

Genitive

*ḥamwim

*ḥamwayna

*ḥamanīna

Accusative

*ḥamwam

possessive forms

1st person

*ḥamwī / *ḥamwVya

—

*ḥamwVni

2nd person m

*ḥamwVka

*ḥamwVkumā / *ḥamwVkumay

*ḥamwVkum(ū)

2nd person f

*ḥamwVki

*ḥamwVkin(ā)

3rd person m

*ḥamwVšu

*ḥamwVšumā / *ḥamwVšumay

*ḥamwVšum(ū)

3rd person f

*ḥamwVša

*ḥamwVšin(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: *ḥamwuya for nom. case, *ḥamwiya for gen. case, *ḥamwaya for acc. case, etc.

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

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ḥamwuka	*ḥamwāka	*ḥamanūka
Genitive	*ḥamwika	*ḥamwayka	*ḥamanīka
Accusative	*ḥamwaka	*ḥamwayka	*ḥamanīka

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

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ḥamwuki	*ḥamwāki	*ḥamanūki
Genitive	*ḥamwiki	*ḥamwayki	*ḥamanīki
Accusative	*ḥamwaki	*ḥamwayki	*ḥamanīki

Descendants edit

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒂊𒈬 (e-mu /⁠emu⁠/)
- Eblaite: 𒂍𒈬𒈬 (/⁠ˀà-mu-mu⁠/)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: حَم (ḥam)
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Aramaic: חמא / ܚܡܐ (ḥəmā)
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: חָם (ḥām)
- South Semitic:
  - Old South Arabian:
    - Hadrami: 𐩢𐩣 (ḥm)
  - Modern South Arabian:
    - Mehri: ḥaym
    - Soqotri: ḥam
  - Ethiopian Semitic:
    - Northern Ethiopian Semitic:
      - Ge'ez: ሐም (ḥäm)
      - Tigre: ሐም (ḥäm)
      - Tigrinya: ሐሙ (ḥämu)

References edit

^ Diakonoff, Igor (1999) The paths of history, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 29
^ Kogan, Leonid (2015) “ḥam-”, in Genealogical Classification of Semitic. The Lexical Isoglosses, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 45, only obiter, apparently forgetting or repressing to expand upon this form which is curtailed like *ʔab- (“father”) as one of الْأَسْمَاء السِّتَّة (al-ʔasmāʔ as-sitta).

[1] Diakonoff, Igor (1999) The paths of history, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 29

[2] Kogan, Leonid (2015) “ḥam-”, in Genealogical Classification of Semitic. The Lexical Isoglosses, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 45, only obiter, apparently forgetting or repressing to expand upon this form which is curtailed like *ʔab- (“father”) as one of الْأَسْمَاء السِّتَّة (al-ʔasmāʔ as-sitta).

[1]

[2]