Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ʔarnab-

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

*ʔarnab- m or f

  1. rabbit

Reconstruction notes

Only attested in Central Semitic.

Inflection

Masculine:

Declension of *ʔarnab-
case singular dual plural
nominative *ʔarnabum *ʔarnabāna plural stem + *-ūna
accusative *ʔarnabam *ʔarnabayna plural stem + *-īna
genitive *ʔarnabim
possessive forms
1st person *ʔarnabī / *ʔarnabVya *ʔarnabVni
2nd person m *ʔarnabVka *ʔarnabVkumā / *ʔarnabVkumay *ʔarnabVkum(ū)
2nd person f *ʔarnabVki *ʔarnabVkin(ā)
3rd person m *ʔarnabVšu *ʔarnabVšumā / *ʔarnabVšumay *ʔarnabVšum(ū)
3rd person f *ʔarnabVša *ʔarnabVšin(ā)

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: *ʔarnabuya for nom. case, *ʔarnabiya for gen. case, *ʔarnabaya for acc. case, etc.

Femenine:

Declension of *ʔarnab-
case singular dual plural
nominative *ʔarnabum *ʔarnabāna *ʔarnabātum
accusative *ʔarnabam *ʔarnabayna *ʔarnabātim
genitive *ʔarnabim
possessive forms
1st person *ʔarnabī / *ʔarnabVya *ʔarnabVni
2nd person m *ʔarnabVka *ʔarnabVkumā / *ʔarnabVkumay *ʔarnabVkum(ū)
2nd person f *ʔarnabVki *ʔarnabVkin(ā)
3rd person m *ʔarnabVšu *ʔarnabVšumā / *ʔarnabVšumay *ʔarnabVšum(ū)
3rd person f *ʔarnabVša *ʔarnabVšin(ā)

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: *ʔarnabuya for nom. case, *ʔarnabiya for gen. case, *ʔarnabaya for acc. case, etc.

Descendants

  • Central Semitic:
    • Arabic: أرنب
      • > Cypriot Arabic: arnep (inherited)
      • Translingual: Arnebia
        • Arabic: أرْنيْبَة
        • Azerbaijani: arnebiya
        • English: arnebia
        • Italian: arnebia
        • Polish: arnebia
        • Russian: арне́бия (arnébija)
        • Serbo-Croatian: arnebija
    • Northwest Semitic:

References

  • Militarev, Alexander, Kogan, Leonid (2000–2005) Semitic Etymological Dictionary, Münster: Ugarit-Verlag
  • Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN