ܕܢܒܘܣܬܐ

Assyrian Neo-Aramaic

Root
ܕ ܢ ܒ (d n b)
2 terms

Etymology

Probably from ܕܲܢܒ݂ܵܐ (danḇā, “tail”) +‎ -ܘܿܣܬܵܐ (-ōstā, the diminutive ending), hence “small tail”. While the base word, “tail” is masculine, it was feminine in older dialects such as Classical Syriac ܕܘܼܢܒܵܐ (“dunbā”). This may be the reason this diminutive is formed with the feminine diminutive form and not the masculine- perhaps it was formed before the gender of “tail” switched to masculine. More so, this word may have developed before the base word shifted /b/ to /v/ (/w/).

Possibly influenced by Arabic دَبُّوس (dabbūs, “pin”)

Pronunciation

(Standard) IPA^(key): [danboːstaː]
(Nineveh Plains) IPA^(key): [danbusta], [dambusta]

Noun

ܕܲܢܒܘܿܣܬܵܐ • (danbōstā) f (plural ܕܲܢܒ̈ܘܿܣܝܵܬ݂ܵܐ (danbōsyāṯā))

stinger (of an insect)
pin