ܫܥܬܐ

Assyrian Neo-Aramaic

ܫܥܬܐ ܕܐܝܕܐ

Etymology

Inherited from Aramaic שָׁעְתָא (šāʿəṯā); related to Arabic سَاعَة (sāʕa) and Hebrew שָׁעָה (sha'á). Doublet of ܣܵܥܲܬ (sāˁat).

Pronunciation

• (Standard) IPA^(key): [ʃɑʕːθɑː]
• (Urmia) IPA^(key): [ʃɑʔːtɑː]
• (Nineveh Plains) IPA^(key): [ʃeːθa]

Noun

ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ • (šāˁṯā) f sg (plural ܫܵܥܹ̈ܐ (šāˁē) or ܫܵܥ̈ܵܬ݂ܵܐ (šāˁāṯā))

1. hour (a period of time, sixty minutes)

   ܐܝܼܬ݂ ܐܸܫܬܝܼܢ ܕܲܩܝܼ̈ܩܹܐ ܒܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ

   īṯ ištīn daqīqē bšāˁṯā

   There are sixty minutes in an hour

   ܒܸܬ ܡܵܛܹܝܚ ܒܚܲܡܸܫ ܫܵܥܹ̈ܐ ― bit māṭēḥ b-ḥammiš šāˁē ― We will arrive in five hours

   ܘܵܠܹܐ ܕܛܵܪܹܝܬ ܬܚܘܿܬ݂ ܬܡܵܢܝܼܢ ܟܝܼܠܘܿܡܝܼܛܪܹ̈ܐ ܓܲܘ ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ ܒܗܵܕ݂ܹܐ ܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ.

   wālē d-ṭārēt tḥōṯ tmānīn kīlōmīṭrē gaw šāˁṯā b-hāḏē urḥā.

   You must drive under eighty kilometers per hour on this road.

   • c. 2014, ܕܝܬܩܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܕܡܪܢ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܒܠܫܢܐ ܐܬܘܪܝܐ, Aramaic Bible Translation, Inc., Matthew 24:36:

     ܐܝܼܢܵܐ ܠܗ̇ܘ ܝܲܘܡܵܐ ܘܠܗ̇ܝ ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ ܐܵܦ ܚܲܕ݇ ܐ݇ܢܵܫܵܐ ܠܵܐ ܟܹܐ ܝܵܕ݂ܹܥ، ܘܐܵܦ ܠܵܐ ܡܲܠܲܐܟ݂ܹ̈ܐ ܕܫ̈ܡܲܝܵܐ، ܐܸܠܵܐ ܐܲܒ݂ܵܐ ܒܢܲܦ̮ܫܹܗ.

     īnā l-awa yawmā w-l-aya šāˁṯā āp ḥa nāšā lā kē yāḏēˁ, w-āp lā mallaˀḵē d-šmayyā, illā aḇā b-nafšēh.

     But of that day and that hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

2. moment of time

   ܬܵܐ ܥܕ݂ܘܿܪ ܠܝܼ، ܠܵܐ ܟܹܐ ܗܵܘܝܵܐ ܐܸܠܵܐ ܚܕ݂ܵܐ ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ

   tā ˁḏōr lī, lā kē hāwyā illā ḥḏā šāˁṯā

   Come help me, it won’t be but a moment.

3. (by extension) current time

   see more in the construct state → ܫܵܥܲܬ݂ (šāˁaṯ)

   • c. 2014, ܕܝܬܩܐ ܚܕܬܐ ܕܡܪܢ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܘܡܙܡܘܪ̈ܐ ܒܠܫܢܐ ܐܬܘܪܝܐ, Aramaic Bible Translation, Inc., Luke 23:44:

     ܐܲܝܟ݂ ܫܵܥܲܬ݂ ܬܲܪܬܲܥܸܣܪܹܐ ܕܛܲܗܪܵܐ، ܗܘܹܐ ܠܹܐ ܚܘܼܫܟܵܐ ܥܲܠ ܟܠܵܗ̇ ܐܲܪܥܵܐ ܗܲܠ ܫܵܥܲܬ݂ ܬܸܠܵܬ݂ ܡܸܢ ܒܵܬ݂ܲܪ ܛܲܗܪܵܐ

     ayḵ šāˁaṯ tartaˁisrē d-ṭahrā, hwē lē ḥuškā ˁal kullāh arˁā hal šāˁaṯ tillāṯ min bāṯar ṭahrā

     Now it was about the sixth hour (twelfth hour at noon) and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour (third hour in the afternoon).

4. timepiece, clock, watch

   ܟܹܐ ܡܲܚܒܸܢ ܠܵܗ̇ ܫܵܥܬ݂ܘܼܟ݂ ܫܲܦܝܼܪܬܵܐ.

   kē maḥbin lāh šāˁṯōḵ šapīrtā.

   I love your beautiful watch.

Usage notes

• Usually, the plural ܫܵܥܹ̈ܐ (šāˁē) is a paucal plural (from two to twelve or twenty-four) while the plural ܫܵܥ̈ܵܬ݂ܵܐ (šāˁāṯā) is a multiple plural (thirteen or twenty-five or more).
• Since ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ (šāˁṯā) is feminine, the numbers with gendered forms display feminine gender agreement when they refer to the hour of the day. However, in some dialects of colloquial Assyrian Neo-Aramaic, masculine numbers are often used regardless.

Inflection

Inflection of ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ

	isolated forms			with possessive pronouns
	state	form		person	singular		plural
					m	f
singular	absolute	ܫܵܥܵܐ (šāˁā)		1st person	ܫܵܥܬ݂ܝܼ (šāˁṯī)		ܫܵܥܬ݂ܲܢ (šāˁṯan)
	construct	ܫܵܥܲܬ݂ (šāˁaṯ)		2nd person	ܫܵܥܬ݂ܘܼܟ݂ (šāˁṯōḵ)	ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܟ݂ܝ (šāˁṯāḵ)	ܫܵܥܬ݂ܲܘܟ݂ܘܿܢ (šāˁṯawḵōn)
	emphatic	ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ (šāˁṯā)		3rd person	ܫܵܥܬ݂ܹܗ (šāˁṯēh)	ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܗ̇ (šāˁṯāh)	ܫܵܥܬ݂ܗܘܿܢ (šāˁṯhōn)
plural	absolute	ܫܵܥܝܼ̈ܢ (šāˁīn)		1st person	ܫܵܥܝܼ̈ (šāˁī)		ܫܵܥܲܢ̈ (šāˁan)
	construct	ܫܵܥܲܝ̈ (šāˁay)		2nd person	ܫܵܥܘܼ̈ܟ݂ (šāˁōḵ)	ܫܵܥܵܟ݂ܝ̈ (šāˁāḵ)	ܫܵܥܲܘ̈ܟ݂ܘܿܢ (šāˁawḵōn)
	emphatic	ܫܵܥܹ̈ܐ (šāˁē)		3rd person	ܫܵܥܘܼ̈ܗܝ (šāˁūh)	ܫܵܥܘܼ̈ܗ̇ (šāˁōh)	ܫܵܥܲܝ̈ܗܘܿܢ (šāˁayhōn)

Coordinate terms

• ܪܦܵܦܵܐ (rpāpā, “moment”), ܬܪܲܝܵܢܝܼܬ݂ܵܐ (trayyānīṯā, “second”), ܝܲܘܡܵܐ (yawmā, “day”), ܫܵܒ݂ܘܿܥܵܐ (šāḇōˁā, “week”), ܝܲܪܚܵܐ (yarḥā, “month”), ܐܸܩܡܵܐ (iqmā, “season”), ܫܹܢ݇ܬܵܐ (šēttā, “year”)

Derived terms

• ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ ܪܲܒܬ݂ܵܐ (šāˁṯā rabṯā, “clock”)
• ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ ܚܝܼܙܵܝܬܵܐ (šāˁṯā ḥīzāytā, “hourglass”)
• ܫܵܥܬ݂ܵܐ ܡܙܲܗܪܵܢܝܼܬ݂ܵܐ (šāˁṯā mzahrānīṯā, “alarm clock”)

Classical Syriac

Etymology 1

Compare Arabic سَاعَة (sāʕa) and Hebrew שָׁעָה (šāʿâ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʃɑʕ(ə)θɑ] (singular)
• IPA^(key): [ʃɑʕe], [ʃɑʕɑθɑ] (plural)

Noun

ܫܥܬܐ • (šāʿṯā) f (plural ܫܥܬܐ or ܫܥܐ)

1. hour (60 minutes)
2. time, o'clock
3. moment
4. season
5. (astronomy) angle, degree
6. (astronomy) ascendant
7. unit of weight equal to 5 oz.
8. (astrology) horoscope

Usage notes

• Usually, the plural ܫܥܐ (šāʿē) is a paucal plural (from two to ten) while the plural ܫܥܬܐ (šāʿāṯā) is a multiple plural (eleven or more).
• The absolute singular form ܫܥ (šāʿ) only occurs in the compound ܟܠܫܥ (kolšāʿ, “always”).

Inflection

Inflection of ܫܥܬܐ

	isolated forms			with possessive pronouns
	state	form		person	singular		plural
					m	f	m	f
singular	absolute	ܫܥ) ,ܫܥܐ)		1st person	ܫܥܬܝ		ܫܥܬܢ
	construct	ܫܥܬ		2nd person	ܫܥܬܟ	ܫܥܬܟܝ	ܫܥܬܟܘܢ	ܫܥܬܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܫܥܬܐ		3rd person	ܫܥܬܗ	ܫܥܬܗ	ܫܥܬܗܘܢ	ܫܥܬܗܝܢ
plural	absolute	ܫܥܢ ,ܫܥܝܢ		1st person	ܫܥܬܝ ,ܫܥܝ		ܫܥܬܢ ,ܫܥܝܢ
	construct	ܫܥܬ ,ܫܥܝ		2nd person	ܫܥܬܟ ,ܫܥܝܟ	ܫܥܬܟܝ ,ܫܥܝܟܝ	ܫܥܬܟܘܢ ,ܫܥܝܟܘܢ	ܫܥܬܟܝܢ ,ܫܥܝܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܫܥܬܐ ,ܫܥܐ		3rd person	ܫܥܬܗ ,ܫܥܘܗܝ	ܫܥܬܗ ,ܫܥܝܗ	ܫܥܬܗܘܢ ,ܫܥܝܗܘܢ	ܫܥܬܗܝܢ ,ܫܥܝܗܝܢ

Etymology 2

Root
ܫ ܥ ܐ
2 terms

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʃ(ə)ʕɑθɑ] (singular and plural)

Noun

ܫܥܬܐ • (šʿāṯā) f (plural ܫܥܬܐ)

1. amusement, joke
2. laughing stock
3. play, game
4. sport
5. spectacle

Inflection

Inflection of ܫܥܬܐ

	isolated forms			with possessive pronouns
	state	form		person	singular		plural
					m	f	m	f
singular	absolute	ܫܥܐ		1st person	ܫܥܬܝ		ܫܥܬܢ
	construct	ܫܥܬ		2nd person	ܫܥܬܟ	ܫܥܬܟܝ	ܫܥܬܟܘܢ	ܫܥܬܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܫܥܬܐ		3rd person	ܫܥܬܗ	ܫܥܬܗ	ܫܥܬܗܘܢ	ܫܥܬܗܝܢ
plural	absolute	ܫܥܢ		1st person	ܫܥܬܢ		ܫܥܬܢ
	construct	ܫܥܬ		2nd person	ܫܥܬܟ	ܫܥܬܟܝ	ܫܥܬܟܘܢ	ܫܥܬܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܫܥܬܐ		3rd person	ܫܥܬܗ	ܫܥܬܗ	ܫܥܬܗܘܢ	ܫܥܬܗܝܢ

References

• “šˁh”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• Costaz, Louis (2002) Dictionnaire syriaque-français ∙ Syriac–English Dictionary ∙ قاموس سرياني-عربي, 3rd edition, Beirut: Dar El-Machreq, pages 363a, 375b
• Payne Smith, Jessie (1903) A Compendious Syriac Dictionary Founded Upon the Thesaurus Syriacus of R. Payne Smith, D.D., Oxford: Clarendon Press, pages 588a, 598a
• Sokoloff, Michael (2009) A Syriac Lexicon: A Translation from the Latin, Correction, Expansion, and Update of C. Brockelmann's Lexicon Syriacum, Winona Lake, Indiana, Piscataway, New Jersey: Eisenbrauns; Gorgias Press, →ISBN, pages 1584b–1585a

Turoyo

Etymology

From Aramaic ܫܥܬܐ (šāʿṯā). Doublet of ܣܰܥܰܐ (saca), an Arabic borrowing.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃoʕθo/

Noun

ܫܳܥܬ݂ܳܐ • (šocṯo) f (plural ܫܳܥܶܐ (šoce))

1. hour

   Synonym: ܣܰܥܰܐ (saca)

See also

• ܫܰܬܳܐ (šato, “year”)
• ܝܰܪܚܳܐ (yarḥo, “month”)
• ܫܰܒܬ݂ܳܐ (šabṯo, “week”)
• ܝܰܘܡܳܐ (yawmo, “day”)
• ܕܰܩܩܰܐ (daqqa, “minute”), ܩܰܛܷܢܬܳܐ (qaṭënto, “minute”)
• ܨܰܢܝـܝܶܐ (ṣaniye, “second”), ܪܦܳܦܳܐ (rfofo, “second”)