Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/lišān-

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

Alternative forms

• *liššān-
• *lašān-

Etymology

From Proto-Afroasiatic *lis- (“tongue”) with the nominal suffix +‎ *-ān-. Cognate with Proto-Berber *iləs, Egyptian ns, and Proto-Chadic (whence Hausa harshe).

Noun

*lišān- m or f

1. tongue
2. language

Inflection

Masculine:

Declension of *lišān-

Case	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*lišānum	*lišānāna	plural stem + *-ūna
Genitive	*lišānim	*lišānayna	plural stem + *-īna
Accusative	*lišānam
possessive forms
1st person	*lišānī / *lišānVya	—	*lišānVni
2nd person m	*lišānVka	*lišānVkumā / *lišānVkumay	*lišānVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*lišānVki		*lišānVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*lišānVšu	*lišānVšumā / *lišānVšumay	*lišānVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*lišānVša		*lišānVšin(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: *lišānuya for nom. case, *lišāniya for gen. case, *lišānaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *lišān- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *lišānuka *lišānāka plural stem + *-ūka Genitive *lišānika *lišānayka plural stem + *-īka Accusative *lišānaka Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *lišān- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *lišānuki *lišānāki plural stem + *-ūki Genitive *lišāniki *lišānayki plural stem + *-īki Accusative *lišānaki

Feminine:

Declension of *lišān-

Case	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*lišānum	*lišānāna	*lišānātum
Genitive	*lišānim	*lišānayna	*lišānātim
Accusative	*lišānam
possessive forms
1st person	*lišānī / *lišānVya	—	*lišānVni
2nd person m	*lišānVka	*lišānVkumā / *lišānVkumay	*lišānVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*lišānVki		*lišānVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*lišānVšu	*lišānVšumā / *lišānVšumay	*lišānVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*lišānVša		*lišānVšin(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: *lišānuya for nom. case, *lišāniya for gen. case, *lišānaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *lišān- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *lišānuka *lišānāka *lišānātuka Genitive *lišānika *lišānayka *lišānātika Accusative *lišānaka Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *lišān- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *lišānuki *lišānāki *lišānātuki Genitive *lišāniki *lišānayki *lišānātiki Accusative *lišānaki

Derived terms

• *liš-ān-u-m
  • East Semitic:
    • Akkadian: 𒅴 (lišānum)
    • Eblaite: 𒇷𒊓𒉡 (lišānum)
  • Arabic: لِسَانٌ (lisānun)
    • Gulf Arabic: لسان (lsān)
    • Hijazi Arabic: لسان (lisān)
    • Iraqi Arabic: لسان (lsān)
    • Maltese: lsien
    • Moroccan Arabic: لسان (lsān)
    • North Levantine Arabic: لسان (lsān)
    • South Levantine Arabic: لسان (lsān)
• *lišš-ān-u-m
  • Aramaic:
    • Biblical Aramaic: לִשָּׁן (liššān)
    • Classical Syriac: ܠܶܫܳܢ (leššān)
  • Ethiopian Semitic:
    • Ge'ez: ልሳን (lǝssān)
    • Tigre: ንሳል (nǝssal)
• *laš-ān-u-m
  • Proto-Canaanite: *lašōn-
    • Biblical Hebrew: לָשׁוֹן (lāšṓn)
      • Israeli Hebrew: לשון (lashón)
  • Ugaritic: 𐎍𐎌𐎐 (lšn /⁠lašānu⁠/)

• Unsorted formations:
  • Ancient North Arabian
    • Sabaean: 𐩡𐩪𐩬 (ls¹n)
    • Hismaic: 𐪁𐪊𐪌 (ls¹n)
  • Modern South Arabian:
    • Harsusi: lēšen
    • Hobyót: lšáan
    • Mehri: əwšēn
    • Shehri: ɛls̃ɛ́n
    • Soqotri: léšin
  • Phoenician: 𐤋𐤔𐤍 (lšn)
    • Punic: 𐤋𐤔𐤍 (lšn)