Re: PIE-Arabic Correspondences

----- Original Message -----

From: Richard Wordingham

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 4:16 PM

Subject: [tied] Re: PIE-Arabic Correspondences

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Richard, while these are not my choice of words to compare, I should mention that my correspondences call for PIE *(n)g/k(^) = Arabic q = Egyptian q or g, depending on the vowel of the source (*a/*i or *o).

For Nostratic *k?, I have Arabic k.

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The other main correspondence is PIE *g = Arabic /q/ (reflexes of
Nostratic *k'), e.g.

PIE *g^en 'to bear' = Arabic _qana:_ 'get, acquire, create'

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Much as I dislike using apparently infixed forms, this _may_ be related to _kauwana_, 'create, form', if we allow a -w- infix into *kana.

As for qana: (either q-n-w or q-n-y), I fear Bomhard added 'create' to strengthen his case for all that I can find relates strictly to acquisition. *g^en-, on the other hand, is primarily 'engender'.

Though it probably will be of  meager interest, I believe this meaning is support by PL K?E, 'penis'. 

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PIE *ger 'to call out' = Arabic _qara'a_ 'recite, read'

 

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karaba, 'grieve'; karaza, 'preach'; karrasa, 'consecrate'

Egyptian k3, 'say'

I am inclined to favor *(n)ka(:)r-, 'praise loudly, announce', for _qara?a_ but the matter is capable of more than one interpretation.  However, Egyptian s-q3, 'extol', probably supports this.

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PIE *ger 'to gather' = Arabic _qarada_ 'to collect, gather, hoard up'

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Egyptian k3, 'work, *collect'; hieroglyph shows a man with a basket on his head.

qara-da corresponds to Egyptian q3, 'raise on high';  PIE  *(n)k^er-. 'top'. I would favor an emendment to **(n)ker-.

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PIE *gerbH 'to carve' = Arabic _qaras.a_ 'to nip', _qarah.a_ 'to
wound', _qarad.a_ 'to cut, to nibble', _qarasha_ 'to gnash, to nibble,
to chew', _qarama_ 'to gnaw', _qarat.a_ 'to cut into small pieces'
plus several quadriliterals.

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First, I think we may notice Egyptian krp, 'scrape out (an inscription)'.  But there is also s-k3, 'plough'. Could Arabic karrara, 'refine, purify', be related?

It seems that the base meaning of *gerbh- is 'notch (take out a bite-sized piece?)' rather than 'carve' (Pokorny ritzen [einschneiden]); if it were 'whittle', it would match Bomhard's suggestion more closely.

On the other hand, I expect Egyptian r to correspond to Arabic l (re: krp).

There is a certain amount of variability in Arabic consonants, and this may be a case of Arabic q appearing in the place of an earlier k. I am nearly certain, because of the Egyptian cognate (s-k3) that Arabic k should be expected instead of q.

I am tempted to emend *gerebh- to *g^erebh- (from *gyerebh-) and connect it with Egyptian H3.t, 'food' (from kj3 ???). 

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PIE *gem 'to grab, grip; full' = Arabic _qamat.a_ 'bind together',
_qamaza_ 'take with the fingertips'

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This is probably Egyptian km, 'total up to, complete'. _qamat.a_ is, I think, related to Egyptian qmj, 'gummed', referring originally to sticky sap. This (gum) is considered to be a loanword from Egyptian.

If we had a PIE equivalent, it would have the form **(n)g^em-.

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I must admit it was quite striking how often an Arabic reflex was
missing from the set of Afroasiatic reflexes given for Nostratic *k'.
Quite possibly there is something complicating going on there.

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It is, of course, obvious that I believe Nostratic k? appears in Arabic as <k>.

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There are cases where the phonation does not match well - PIE *kost
'bone' compared to Arabic _qas.s._ 'breastbone' , but the Arabic
sibilant does not match well with the rest of Afroasiatic and PIE
*kost is suspected of actually being an unexplained example of
laryngeal hardening.. PIE **gabH 'grasp' would fit well with Arabic
_qabad.a_ 'to seize, to receive' and its Afroasiatic cognates, but of
course the PIE word is actually **gHabH. (Bomhard does not offer this
as a cognate.)

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Egyptian qs, 'bone', validate Arabic q- but -s should produce Arabic z. Thus *kost- should be, IMHO, *(n)ka/a:s-t-.

 

Patrick

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Richard.