Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/lā

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

Cognate with Egyptian nj (“not”).

Adverb

*lā

  1. not

Interjection

*lā

  1. no

Descendants

  • East Semitic:
    • Akkadian: 𒆷𒀀 (la-a /⁠lā⁠/)
  • West Semitic:
    • Central Semitic:
      • Arabic: لَا (lā)
        • Gulf Arabic: لَأْ (laʔ, “no”), لا (la, “don't (used before imperatives)”)
        • South Levantine Arabic: لأ (laʔ), لا (la, “don't (with imperative or subjunctive)”)
        • Maltese: la, le
        • → Swahili: la
      • Northwest Semitic:
        • Aramaic: לָא (lā)
          • Mandaic: ࡋࡀ (lā)
          • Classical Syriac: ܠܳܐ (lā)
        • Canaanite:
          • Hebrew: לֹא (lo, lōʾ)
          • Phoenician: 𐤋𐤀 (lʾ /⁠lū⁠/)
        • Ugaritic: 𐎍 (l /⁠lā-⁠/)
    • Modern South Arabian:
      • Mehri: لَأ (laʾ)
      • Harsusi: [script needed] (laʔ)

References

  • Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN, page 68
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