Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/napš-

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

Noun

*napš- f

life
breath
soul
personality

Inflection

Declension of *napš-

Case

Singular

Dual

Plural

Nominative

*napšum

*napšāna

*napšātum

Genitive

*napšim

*napšayna

*napšātim

Accusative

*napšam

possessive forms

1st person

*napšī / *napšVya

—

*napšVni

2nd person m

*napšVka

*napšVkumā / *napšVkumay

*napšVkum(ū)

2nd person f

*napšVki

*napšVkin(ā)

3rd person m

*napšVšu

*napšVšumā / *napšVšumay

*napšVšum(ū)

3rd person f

*napšVša

*napšVšin(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: *napšuya for nom. case, *napšiya for gen. case, *napšaya for acc. case, etc.

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

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*napšuka	*napšāka	*napšātuka
Genitive	*napšika	*napšayka	*napšātika
Accusative	*napšaka	*napšayka	*napšātika

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

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*napšuki	*napšāki	*napšātuki
Genitive	*napšiki	*napšayki	*napšātiki
Accusative	*napšaki	*napšayki	*napšātiki

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒍣 (napištum)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: نَفْس‎ (nafs)
    - Maltese: nifs
    - → Azerbaijani: nəfəs
    - → Armenian: նաֆաս (nafas), նաֆս (nafs)
    - → Baluchi: نپس‎ (napas)
    - → Malay: nafas
      - Indonesian: napas
        → Amahai: napas
      - → Tausug: napas
    - → Persian: نفس‎ (nafas)
    - → Swahili: nafasi
    - → Turkish: nefes
    - → Uzbek: nafas
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Aramaic: נַפְשָׁא‎ (nap̄šā)
      - Classical Syriac: ܢܲܦܼܫܵܐ‎ (nap̄šā)
      - Lishana Deni: נושא‎ (nōšā)
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: נֶפֶשׁ‎ (néfesh, nép̄eš)
    - Ugaritic: 𐎐𐎔𐎌 (npš /napšu/)
  - Old South Arabian:
    - Old South Arabian: 𐩬𐩰𐩪‎ (nfs¹)
- Ethiopian Semitic:
  - Amharic: ነፍስ (näfs)
  - Argobba: ነፍስ (näfs)
  - Ge'ez: ነፍስ (näfs)
  - Harari: ነፍሲ (näfsi)
  - Sebat Bet Gurage: ነፍስ (näfs)
  - Tigrinya: ነፍሲ (näfsi), stem nǝss- found in personal pronouns
  - Tigre: ነፍስ (näfs)

References

Leslau, Wolf (1991) Comparative Dictionary of Geʿez (Classical Ethiopic), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, →ISBN, page 389