Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/lišān-

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

Alternative forms

  • *liššān-
  • *lašān-

Etymology

From Proto-Afroasiatic *lis- (tongue) with the nominal suffix +‎ *-ān-. Cognate with Proto-Berber *lis, Egyptian ns, and Proto-Chadic (whence Hausa harshe).

Noun

*lišān- m or f

  1. tongue
  2. language

Inflection

Masculine:

Declension of *lišān-
case singular dual plural
nominative *lišānum *lišānāna plural stem + *-ūna
accusative *lišānam *lišānayna plural stem + *-īna
genitive *lišānim
possessive forms
1st person *lišānī / *lišānVya *lišānVni
2nd person m *lišānVka *lišānVkumā / *lišānVkumay *lišānVkum(ū)
2nd person f *lišānVki *lišānVkin(ā)
3rd person m *lišānVšu *lišānVšumā / *lišānVšumay *lišānVšum(ū)
3rd person f *lišānVša *lišānVšin(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: *lišānuya for nom. case, *lišāniya for gen. case, *lišānaya for acc. case, etc.

Feminine:

Declension of *lišān-
case singular dual plural
nominative *lišānum *lišānāna *lišānātum
accusative *lišānam *lišānayna *lišānātim
genitive *lišānim
possessive forms
1st person *lišānī / *lišānVya *lišānVni
2nd person m *lišānVka *lišānVkumā / *lišānVkumay *lišānVkum(ū)
2nd person f *lišānVki *lišānVkin(ā)
3rd person m *lišānVšu *lišānVšumā / *lišānVšumay *lišānVšum(ū)
3rd person f *lišānVša *lišānVšin(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: *lišānuya for nom. case, *lišāniya for gen. case, *lišānaya for acc. case, etc.

Derived terms

  • *liš-ān-u-m
    • East Semitic:
      • Akkadian: 𒅴 (lišānum)
      • Eblaite: 𒇷𒊓𒉡 (lišānum)
    • Arabic: لِسَانٌ (lisānun)
  • *lišš-ān-u-m
    • Aramaic:
      • Biblical Aramaic: לִשָּׁן (liššān)
      • Jewish Palestinian Aramaic: לִישָׁן (līšān)
      • Classical Syriac: ܠܶܫܳܢ (leššān)
    • Ethiopian Semitic:
      • Ge'ez: ልሳን (lǝssān)
      • Tigre: ንሳል (nǝssal)
  • *laš-ān-u-m
  • Unsorted formations:
    • Ancient North Arabian
    • Modern South Arabian:
      • Harsusi: lēšen
      • Hobyót: lšáan
      • Mehri: əwšēn
      • Shehri: ɛls̃ɛ́n
      • Soqotri: léšin
    • Phoenician: 𐤋𐤔𐤍 (lšn)