Reconstructions Search

The origin of Proto-MSA *šaṭar- ‘female calf’ is unknown. Cf. perhaps Arb. saṭr- ‘a yearling of goats or of sheep’ (Lane 1358). (Kogan 2015:572)

The origin of Proto-MSA *šitim- ‘heaven’ is enigmatic: an eventual connection with PS *šamāy- is difficult to avoid (Bittner 1909:42), but the underlying phonological and/or structural development has never been convincingly established (none of the hypotheses listed by Leslau in LS 78 is persuasive).

Leslau is likely correct to relate Proto-MSA *ṣḥr ‘to brand’ to Hbr. ṣāḥōr ‘reddish-gray’ (HALOT 1019), Syr. ṣḥar ‘erubuit’ (LSyr. 626), Arb. ṣḥr (XI) ‘to dry up, to become yellow,’ ṣaḥīrat- ‘milk into which heated stones are thrown’ (Lane 1654), implying an original meaning “to burn,” “to be burnt” (cf. especially Ugr. ṣḥrr ‘to be burnt,’ ‘to roast,’ DUL 782). One might be tempted to relate to this root Tgr. ṣäḥarä ‘to take up and carry away coal and ashes’, Tna. ṣäḥarä ‘to stir a fire’, but the general meaning of the Tigrinya verb seems rather to be ‘to scoop up, to scrape up with the hands, to shoveľ (Kogan 2015:569-570)

The origin of Proto-MSA *ṣVlVl- ‘ravine, wadi’ is uncertain, but cf. perhaps Hbr. ṣll ‘to sink’ (HALOT 1027) and especially məṣūlā ‘depth, deep’ (ibid. 623). (Kogan 2015:570)

The origin is unknown. (Kogan 2015:570)

The origin of Proto-MSA *ṣaprir- ‘flower’ is uncertain. Leslau’s comparison with Syr. ṣaprā ‘tempus matutinum’ (LSyr. 635), implying an original meaning “s’échapper, éclater” is not easily acceptable from the semantic point of view. Hardly any connection with Arb. ˀaṣfar- ‘yellow’ (Lane 1699). Of some interest is Akk. ṣipru ‘crest, coma (of a comet), summit, excrescence’ (CAD Ṣ 204, AHw. 1104). (Kogan 2015:570)

The origin is uncertain. The same meaning for ṣtt is well attested in the Arabic dialects of Dhofar and Oman (Rhodokanakis 32‒33, Reinhardt 178), but in view of its isolated status within Arabic one may legitimately wonder about the possibility of MSA substratum/adstratum influence. Of some interest may be Arb. ṣitt- ‘what is opposite’ (TA 4 585). Any connection with JPA ṣwt ‘to listen, to give heed’ (DJPA 462), Syr. ṣāt ‘audivit’ (LSyr. 625)? (Kogan 2015:570)

The origin is unknown.

The origin is unclear. Of some interest may be Gez. ŝagara ‘to take a step, to amble, to go across’ (CDG 526) and its EthS cognates, note especially Amh. täšaggärä ‘to cross a river, to cross over’ (AED 660).

The origin is unknown.