Evolution from biconsonantal to triconsonantal root within Afro-Asiatic languages

[Maakhri2024]

This example elegantly demonstrates the evolution from biconsonantal to triconsonantal root structures within Afro-Asiatic languages. While the majority of these languages predominantly exhibit triconsonantal roots, some retain biconsonantal roots, reflecting a historical shift in morphological complexity.

Triconsonantal Root: Hebrew

In Hebrew, the verb נָהַג ( nahag ) derives from the triconsonantal root ( n-h-g ) and encompasses meanings such as:
- to lead or guide ,
- to drive .

Biconsonantal Root : Somali
Conversely, in Somali, a Cushitic language, the verb ( hag ) originates from the
biconsonantal root ( h-g ) and carries similar meanings:
- to lead or guide ,
- to drive .

you can see the Somali has retained the older biconsonantal form ( hg : hag ) ,
While the Hebrew has evolved into triconstantal form ( nhg : nahag נהג ) .

The Somali language retains the ancient biconsonantal root system, wherein lexical items are derived from roots consisting of two consonants.
For instance, the root ( hg ) yields the verb ( hag , meaning " to lead, guide , drive " ) .
This structure is characteristic of Cushitic languages, to which Somali belongs.

In contrast, Hebrew (also Arabic ), a Semitic language, has predominantly evolved to a triconsonantal root system.
A representative example is the root : nhg ( נ־ה־ג ) , from which the verb nahag ( נהג ) is derived, meaning " to lead, guide , drive ".

This shift from biconsonantal to triconsonantal roots marks a significant morphological divergence between the two languages.

in Somali language we say : la hag ( waa la hagay ) or ( soo hag ) or ( is hag ) .
*l- " la " is causative prefix .
Causative prefix : added to the beginning of a verb stem, indicates that the action is caused or done by someone or something .

From Proto-Afroasiatic. Compare Egyptian n, Proto-Berber *n (whence Central Atlas Tamazight ⵏ (n) and Kabyle n), Somali -lá (“with, in company with”) and -leh (“with, owning”).
1. for , to .
​

la → na ,

l hg ( la hag ) → n hg ( na hag ) → nahag ( נהג ) .

נ + הג = נהג​

Keep in mind that the Somali language is much more archaic than Arabic / Hebrew and other Semitic languages.
Just because a language has ancient written records doesn't mean it has retained older forms or structures; it may have evolved over time despite these older written records.​

@TheLand ,
@Midas

more to come soon !!!!!

 

[Maakhri2024]

Another example :

In Hebrew , Aramaic and Syriac the verb שדר ( shider / shaadar ) derives from the triconsonantal root ( sh-d-r) which means :
- to send .

Conversely, in Somali, the verb ( dir ) originates from the biconsonantal root
( d-r ) and carries similar meaning:
- to send .

in Somali language we say : la dir ( waa la diray ) or loo dir ( waa loo diray ) or soo dir ( waa soo diray ) / ( ii soo dir ) or sii dir (wuu sii diray) or is ( is dir ) .

*l- ( la , loo , ... ) and *s- ( soo , sii , is ,... ) is causative prefix .

Causative prefix : added to the beginning of a verb stem, indicates that the action is caused or done by someone or something .

la → ša ,
this letter ( š ) pronounced : sh .
l dr ( la dir ) / soo dir → š dr ( š dir ) → šider / shider ( שדר ) .

ש + דר ← שדר​

more to come soon !!!!!

Aramaic Verb שדר ( shaadar ) : to send .

Arabic س - د - ر : سدر ( s-d-r ) :
Sense of letting go cognate with Hebrew שִׁדֵּר " sh-d-r " : (shider , “ to send, to dispatch, to broadcast ” ) via Jewish Babylonian Aramaic root ש־ד־ר ( sh-d-r ) means : to send .

Classical Syriac :
From the root ܫ ܕ ܪ ( sh-d-r) related to sending; compare Arabic سَدَرَ (sadara), Hebrew שִׁדֵּר (šider).
ܫܕܪ ( sh-d-r ) pronounced : (shaadar) :-
1- to send, send out, dispatch.
2- to send back .
3- to dismiss, release, let go .
4- to throw .
5- (with ܒܬܪ (bāṯar)) to send for, summon.
6- to relegate.
7- (with ܢܘܪܐ (nūrā, “fire”)) to set on fire.

@TheLand ,
@Midas

 

[TheLand]

Another example :

In Hebrew , Aramaic and Syriac the verb שדר ( shider / shaadar ) derives from the triconsonantal root ( sh-d-r) which means :
- to send .

Conversely, in Somali, the verb ( dir ) originates from the biconsonantal root
( d-r ) and carries similar meaning:
- to send .

in Somali language we say : la dir ( waa la diray ) or loo dir ( waa loo diray ) or soo dir ( waa soo diray ) / ( ii soo dir ) or sii dir (wuu sii diray) or is ( is dir ) .

*l- ( la , loo , ... ) and *s- ( soo , sii , is ,... ) is causative prefix .

Causative prefix : added to the beginning of a verb stem, indicates that the action is caused or done by someone or something .

la → ša ,
this letter ( š ) pronounced : sh .
l dr ( la dir ) / soo dir → š dr ( š dir ) → šider / shider ( שדר ) .

ש + דר ← שדר​

more to come soon !!!!!









View attachment 362636

View attachment 362637


@TheLand ,
@Midas

Are you trying to say L shifted to S or Sh here?

 

[Maakhri2024]

Are you trying to say L shifted to S or Sh here?

Yes indeed that's what happened,
L shifted to sh / s .
look at these examples in Somali language,
l → sh ,
ul → usha .
bil → bisha .


الدكتور أمير حراق
استاذ الآرامية والسريانية – جامعة تورنتو
رئيس الجمعية الكندية للدراسات السريانية
This quote is from a research article by Dr. Amir Harraq, Professor of Aramaic and Syriac at the University of Toronto. President of the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies .↓ ↓

، وفعلا يستخدم سفر دانيال الفصل الأول آية 4 عبارة "لْشونْ كَسْديم" أي لغة الكلدانيين

(و "كسديم" هو "كلديم" حيث قُلب اللام الى سين كما يحدث في العبرية)

Indeed, the Book of Daniel, Chapter 1, Verse 4, uses the phrase “Leshon Kasdim,” meaning the language of the Chaldeans (“Kasdim” is “Kaldim,” where the “ L ” is changed to “ S ” as happens in Hebrew).

וּלְלַמְּדָ֥ם סֵ֖פֶר וּלְשׁ֥וֹן כַּשְׂדִּֽים
Daniel 1:4 - to teach them the script and the language of the Chaldeans.

Akkadian māt Kaldu or Kašdu ( Kashdu ) , š=sh .

From Wikipedia :

The name Chaldaea is a latinization of the Greek Khaldaía (Χαλδαία), a hellenization of Akkadian māt Kaldu or Kašdu, suggesting an underlying /kaɬdu/.[4] The term Chaldea appears in Hebrew in the Bible as Kaśdim (כַּשְׂדִּים),[5] while Chaldeans are Hebrew Kaśdim (כַּשְׂדִּים) and Aramaic Kaśdā'in (כַּשְׂדָּאִין).