< Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic
Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/-at-
 |
This Proto-Semitic entry contains reconstructed words 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
- *-t- (syncope)
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Afroasiatic *-t (feminine suffix). The semantic extension from feminine to abstract/collective is comparable to the one of Proto-Indo-European *-h₂.
Suffix
*-at- f
- Feminine-forming suffix.
- Abstract/collective-forming suffix.
- Synonym: *-ay- (on certain words)
Inflection
Declension of *-at-
| Singular | Dual | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | *-atum | *-atāna | *-ātum |
| Genitive | *-atim | *-atayna | *-ātim |
| Accusative | *-atam | ||
| possessive forms | |||
| 1st person | *-atī / *-atya | — | *-atni |
| 2nd person m | *-atka | *-atkumā / *-atkumay | *-atkum(ū) |
| 2nd person f | *-atki | *-atkin(ā) | |
| 3rd person m | *-atšu | *-atšumā / *-atšumay | *-atšum(ū) |
| 3rd person f | *-atša | *-atšin(ā) | |
| Note: the endings -m and -na are dropped in the bound form, which may also undergo syncopation of an unstressed final vowel where possible. | |||
Notes
- Syncopation of unstressed vowels caused the form *-t to appear in many nouns; in some descendants, this distinction became lexicalized.
- Proto-Semitic numerals from three to ten were formed adding the abstract/collective suffix *-at- to the root. The bare root morpheme continued to be used with feminine nouns, which led to a phenomenon of gendered numerals in various Semitic languages.
Derived terms
- *ʔaḫwat- (“sister”)
- *bint- (“daughter”)
- *baʕlat- (“mistress, lady”)
- *ʔilāhat- (“goddess”)
- *-atum (nominative absolutive forming-suffix) (+ *-um (singular nominative ending))
- *ṯalāṯatum (“three”)
- *ʔarbaʕatum (“four”)
- *ḫamšatum (“five”)
- *šidṯatum (“six”)
- *šabʕatum (“seven”)
- *ṯamāniyatum (“eight”)
- *tišʕatum (“nine”)
- *ʕaśaratum (“ten”)
Descendants
- Akkadian: -𒌈 (-(a)tum, feminine suffix)
- Arabic: ة (-ah)
- Maltese: -a
- Classical Syriac: -ܬܐ (-ta,-ṯa, feminine suffix)
- Classical Syriac: -ܝܬܐ (-iṯa, feminine suffix)
- Classical Syriac: -ܘܬܐ (-uṯa, abstract suffix)
- Hebrew: ־ה (-ah, feminine suffix)
- → Yiddish: ־ה (-e)
- Hebrew: ית (-ít, feminine suffix)
- Hebrew: ־ות (-ut, abstract/collective and feminine suffix)
References
- Huehnergard, John (2019) , “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.