Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/birk-

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. Probably cognate with Afar gulúb considering metathesis. See there for further cognates.

Noun edit

*birk- m or f

knee

Reconstruction notes edit

In Common Semitic there was a metathetic root formed, which yielded *ruk(u)b-at- "knee" (cf. Arabic رُكْبَة (rukba)), both of which had reflexes preserved in Arabic, Aramaic and Ethiopic (Ge'ez).

Inflection edit

Masculine:

Declension of *birk-

Case

Singular

Dual

Plural

Nominative

*birkum

*birkāna

plural stem + *-ūna

Genitive

*birkim

*birkayna

plural stem + *-īna

Accusative

*birkam

possessive forms

1st person

*birkī / *birkVya

—

*birkVni

2nd person m

*birkVka

*birkVkumā / *birkVkumay

*birkVkum(ū)

2nd person f

*birkVki

*birkVkin(ā)

3rd person m

*birkVšu

*birkVšumā / *birkVšumay

*birkVšum(ū)

3rd person f

*birkVša

*birkVšin(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: *birkuya for nom. case, *birkiya for gen. case, *birkaya for acc. case, etc.

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

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*birkuka	*birkāka	plural stem + *-ūka
Genitive	*birkika	*birkayka	plural stem + *-īka
Accusative	*birkaka	*birkayka	plural stem + *-īka

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

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*birkuki	*birkāki	plural stem + *-ūki
Genitive	*birkiki	*birkayki	plural stem + *-īki
Accusative	*birkaki	*birkayki	plural stem + *-īki

Femenine: