< Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic
Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/naḥaš-
 | 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
Etymology
Perhaps prefixed from a term which is reconstructible for East Cushitic, Somali yexaas (“crocodile”).
Noun
*naḥaš- m
- predatory cat, probably a lion
Inflection
Declension of *naḥaš-
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | *naḥašum | *naḥašāna | plural stem + *-ūna | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Genitive | *naḥašim | *naḥašayna | plural stem + *-īna | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accusative | *naḥašam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| possessive forms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st person | *naḥašī / *naḥašVya | — | *naḥašVni | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd person m | *naḥašVka | *naḥašVkumā / *naḥašVkumay | *naḥašVkum(ū) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd person f | *naḥašVki | *naḥašVkin(ā) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd person m | *naḥašVšu | *naḥašVšumā / *naḥašVšumay | *naḥašVšum(ū) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd person f | *naḥašVša | *naḥašVšin(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: *naḥašuya for nom. case, *naḥašiya for gen. case, *naḥašaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *naḥaš-
Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *naḥaš-
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Descendants
- East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒌨𒈤 (nēšum, “lion”)
- West Semitic: “snake”, probably a cobra by comparison of its hood to the lion’s mane
- Central Semitic:
- Arabic: حَنَش (ḥanaš), from older *نَحَش (*naḥaš) with irregular ش (š) due to imitation or dissimilation pressure; a regular reflex for “lion” is also transmitted, as نَهَّاس (nahhās), نَهُوس (nahūs), مِنْهَس (minhas)
- Northwest Semitic:
- Canaanite:
- Hebrew: נָחָשׁ (nakhásh, nāḥāš)
- Ugaritic: 𐎐𐎈𐎌 (nḥš /naḥašu/)
- Canaanite:
- Central Semitic:
References
- Militarev, Alexander; Kogan, Leonid (2005) Semitic Etymological Dictionary, volume II: Animal Names, Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, →ISBN, pages 210–211 Nr. 159