Re: Calaf , calamus, & halma/halm (2)

From: The Egyptian Chronicles
Message: 62765
Date: 2009-02-02

Arnaud wrote:
 
I'm not so sure the match is perfect.
 
LAtin calamus is a loan-work of Greek kalamos, which I suppose represents *kl.H2-mo's Arabic Q should not be PIE *k and Qalam is lacking the expected H2. The vocalic scheme a_a is kind of odd in a noun, I guess **qalm would be more native-sounding.
 
As a matter of fact, this word qalam looks like a borrowing of kalamos.
 
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Ishinan's response:
 
You said " I'm not so sure the match is perfect. " Based on what?  Please explain what are the difference of meanings between the Latin calamus and Classical Arabic qalam?
 
http://www.theegyptianchronicles.com/NOSTRATIC/GLF.html
 
 
 
Beware of fictitious and unsubstantiated reconstructions applied to the Semitic field. In addition, Indo-European reconstructions are not always reliable and their rules do not apply to the Semitic languages.   Besides, if qalam was a LW from the Greek or Latin, the Arabic form would have been qlms (qalamus).
 
Further, there many flora glossary terms related to pastoral cultural like grass, shoots, herb, reed, cane etc. which are either shared or passed on from Semitic to Indo-European, not the other way.  I'll be more than happy to introduce you to them one by one, if the discourse is civil, on topic and backed up with sources.   
 
Ishinan