Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/namir-

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

From Proto-Afroasiatic *mariy- (“wild cat, lion, leopard”). Cognate with Egyptian mꜣj (“lion”) and mjw (“cat”), Alagwa mariy-amo (“wild cat”), Pévé merian (“wild cat, serval”), Ngete mēr (“serval”).

Noun

*namir- m

leopard

Inflection

Declension of *namir-
case	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*namirum	*namirāna	plural stem + *-ūna
accusative	*namiram	*namirayna	plural stem + *-īna
genitive	*namirim	*namirayna	plural stem + *-īna

possessive forms
1^st person	namirī / namirVya	—	*namirVni
2^nd person m	*namirVka	namirVkumā / namirVkumay	*namirVkum(ū)
2^nd person f	*namirVki	namirVkumā / namirVkumay	*namirVkin(ā)
3^rd person m	*namirVšu	namirVšumā / namirVšumay	*namirVšum(ū)
3^rd person f	*namirVša	namirVšumā / namirVšumay	*namirVšin(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: *namiruya for nom. case, *namiriya for gen. case, *namiraya for acc. case, etc.

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒊊𒌉 (nimrum)
- Eblaite: 𒈾𒈨𒈝 (na-me-lum)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: نَمِر (namir)
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Aramaic: נִמְרָא (nimrā’)
      - Classical Syriac: ܢܶܡܪܳܐ (nemrā)
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: נָמֵר (namér, nāmēr)
  - Old South Arabian:
    - Old South Arabian: 𐩬𐩣𐩧 (nmr)
- Ethiopian Semitic:
  - Amharic: ነብር (näbr)
  - Ge'ez: ነምር (nämr)
  - Tigre: ነብሪ (näbri)
  - Tigrinya: ነምሪ (nämri), ነብሪ (näbri)
  - Sebat Bet Gurage: ነውር (näwǝr)
- Modern South Arabian:
  - Harsusi: nemr