dawr-/dawar- - period, cycle (DRS 240, Marassini 1971: 48, Fronzaroli 1965: 143, 148, EDA II)

The – apparently iconic (descriptive) – reduplication *dār- dār- (or *dār- dawr-), attested in both Akkadian and early NWS (Ugaritic, Hebrew, Aramaic), may go back to PS.

*dwr - to go around, to turn (EDA II)

In various Semitic languages, PS *dwr ‘to go round’ acquired the meaning ‘to stay permanently in one place, to dwelľ. A variant root *dhr is attested in some WS languages.

Akkadian

dāru - long time, eternity (AHw. 164, CAD D 107)

See also dūru ‘eternity; permanent position’ (AHw. 178, CAD D 197), dūriš ‘forever’ (AHw. 178), dāriš ‘forever’ (AHw. 163, CAD D 113), dāriš ‘for eternity’ (AHw. 164, CAD D 114), dārānu ‘eternaľ/’eternal sacrifices’ (AYw. 163, CAD D 109), dārīˀu ‘(ever)lasting, eternaľ (AHw. 164, CAD D 115), dārīˀa ‘eternally’ (CAD D 112), dārītu (AHw. 164, CAD D 114), dārūtu (AHw. 164, CAD D 118), dārūtaš (AHw. 1550, CAD D 118). This derivation, unquestionable in terms of the underlying consonantal root and the semantic development, is not without problems as far as derivational morphology is concerned, as the expected prototype *dawr- (Marrassini 1971: 48, Fronzaroli 1965: 143, 148) would yield dūru in Akkadian, actually well attested with the same meaning (see above). No ready solution for this problem is at hand. Shall one postulate a bivocalic pattern *dawar- contracted into *dār- in the prehistory of Akkadian? Derivation from the by-form *dahr- is not to be ruled out completely, but does not seem likely.

Akkadian

dāru - generation (AHw. 164, CAD D 115)

According to a broad concensus (AHw 164, CAD D 115, Streck 2000: 88), an early WS borrowing comparable to Hebrew dōr and its cognates listed here.

Ugaritic

dr - cycle, generation (DUL 277)

The Ugaritic word is best attested in the reduplicated combination dr dr ‘eternity’ in KTU 1.2 IV 10 and KTU 1.19 III 48.

Hebrew

dōr - period, age; generation (BDB 189)

Often in dōr (wā)-dōr ‘forever’.

Biblical Aramaic

dār - generation (HALOT 1855)

Jewish Palestinian Aramaic

dār - generation (DJPA 154)

Jewish Palestinian Aramaic

dārā - generation (DJBA 349)

lə-dārdārē ‘forever’ (DJBA 350)

Christian Palestinian Aramaic

dr - generation (DCPA 93)

Syriac

dārā - age, lifetime, generation (LSyr. 147)

Mandaic

dara - age, time, epoch (MD 100)

Often in dar daria.

Sabaic

dr-m - one occasion (SD 37)

dr-m dr-m ‘turn by turn’ (SD 37). Sabaic words do not refer to a long time period (”eternity”) and may rather represent a different, independent derivation from *d-w-r “to turn”.

Geez

dār - race, generation (CDG 140)

dor ‘race, generation’ (CDG 141). These two words are thought to be borrowed from Aramaic and Hebrew respectively by Leslau (CDG 140), but this is far from evident.

Tigre

dur - course of time (WTS 537)

Tigrinya

dəro - before, formerly, earlier, in ancient days (TED 2075)

Probably related following Leslau 1956: 247 and EDG 218.

Amharic

dəro - formerly, previously (AED 1734)

Probably related following Leslau 1956: 247 and EDG 218. See also zändəro ‘this year, the current year’ (AED 1655).

Argobba

dəro - formerly, ago (Leslau 1997: 199)

Probably related following Leslau 1956: 247 and EDG 218.

Selti

dəro - ago, long ago; olden days, year (EDG 218)

Probably related following Leslau 1956: 247 and EDG 218.

Wolane

dəro - ago, long ago; olden days, year (EDG 218)

Probably related following Leslau 1956: 247 and EDG 218.

Zway

duru - ago, long ago; olden days, year (EDG 218)

Probably related following Leslau 1956: 247 and EDG 218. See also zänduru ‘this year’ (EDG 218).

Gafat

yədər - this year (Leslau 1956: 247)

Probably related following Leslau 1956: 247 and EDG 218.

Chaha