Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/bint-

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 *bin- (“son”) +‎ *-at- (“feminine suffix”), the unstressed vowel of which is lost through syncopation.

Noun edit

*bint- f (plural *banāt-)

daughter

Inflection edit

Declension of *bint-

Case

Singular

Dual

Plural

Nominative

*bintum

*bintāna

*banātum

Genitive

*bintim

*bintayna

*banātim

Accusative

*bintam

possessive forms

1st person

*bintī / *bintVya

—

*bintVni

2nd person m

*bintVka

*bintVkumā / *bintVkumay

*bintVkum(ū)

2nd person f

*bintVki

*bintVkin(ā)

3rd person m

*bintVšu

*bintVšumā / *bintVšumay

*bintVšum(ū)

3rd person f

*bintVša

*bintVšin(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: *bintuya for nom. case, *bintiya for gen. case, *bintaya for acc. case, etc.

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

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*bintuka	*bintāka	*banātuka
Genitive	*bintika	*bintayka	*banātika
Accusative	*bintaka	*bintayka	*banātika

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

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*bintuki	*bintāki	*banātuki
Genitive	*bintiki	*bintayki	*banātiki
Accusative	*bintaki	*bintayki	*banātiki

Coordinate terms edit

Descendants edit

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒁉𒅔𒌈 (bintum)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: بِنْت (bint), اِبْنَة (ibna); اِبْنَت (ibnat); مِنْت (mint)
    - Maltese: bint
    - → English: bint
    - → Swahili: binti
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: בַּת m (bat, baṯ), בִּתּ־ (bit, bitt-); בָּנוֹת f pl (banót, bānôṯ)
    - Ugaritic: 𐎁𐎚 (bt /⁠bittu⁠/)
- Old South Arabian:
  - Old South Arabian: 𐩨𐩬𐩩 (bnt)

References edit

Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN