Reconstruction:Proto-West Semitic/katab-

This Proto-West Semitic entry contains reconstructed words 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-West Semitic

Etymology

Compare Akkadian takāpum (“to pierce”), which could potentially be related through metathesis.

Verb

*katab-

to scrape, to scratch

Reconstruction notes

The meaning "write" is secondary and spread through diffusion rather than inheritance (Huehnergard 2005). In languages where "write" is the only attested sense, the reflex cannot be considered reliable evidence.

Descendants

Central Semitic:
- Arabic: كَتَبَ‎ (kataba)
- Northwest Semitic:
  - Aramaic: כתב‎ (kəṯaḇ)
    - Classical Syriac: ܟܬܒ‎ (kəṯaḇ)
  - Canaanite:
    - Hebrew: כתב‎ (kāṯaḇ)
  - Ugaritic: 𐎋𐎚𐎁 (ktb)
Ethiopian Semitic:
- North Ethiopian Semitic:
  - Ge'ez: ከተበ (kätäbä), also ከተፐ (kätäpä)
  - Tigre: ከትበ (kätbä)
  - Tigrinya: ከተበ (kätäbä)
- South Ethiopian Semitic:
  - ⇒ Amharic: ከተበ (kättäbä, “to vaccinate”)
  - Gurage: ከተበ (kätäbä)
  - Harari: ከተባ (kätäba)

References

Kogan, Leonid (2015) Genealogical Classification of Semitic. The Lexical Isoglosses, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 213
Huehnergard, John (2005) "Features of Central Semitic", Biblical and Oriental Essays in Memory of William L. Moran, pp. 155‒203.