a strong consonant, especially, it seems, a sibilant, liquid or guttural.[1] Finally, further modifications of the same root are produced when either a consonant of the root, or the letter which has been added, changes by phonetic laws into a kindred letter (see the examples below). Usually such a change of sound is accompanied by a modification of meaning.
[h] Examples: from the root קץ (no doubt onomatopoetic, i.e. imitating the sound), which represents the fundamental idea of carving off, cutting in pieces, are derived directly: קצץ and קצה to cut, to cut off; the latter also metaph. to decide, to judge (whence קָצִין, Arab. qâḍi, a judge); also קָצַב to cut off, to shear, קָצַף to tear, to break, קָצַע to cut into, קָצַר to cut off, to reap. With a dental instead of the sibilant, קט, קד, whence קָטַב to cut in pieces, to destroy, קָטַל to cut down, to kill, קָטַף to tear off, to pluck off. With the initial letter softened, the root becomes כס, whence כָּסַח to cut off, and כָּסַם to shave; cf. also נכס Syr. to slay (sacrifice), to kill. With the greatest softening to גז and גד; גָּזַז to cut off, to shear; גָּזָה to hew stone; גּוּז, גָּזַם, גָּזַע, גָּזַל, גָּזַר to cut off, to tear off, eat up; similarly גָּדַד to cut into, גָּדַע to cut off; cf. also גָּדָה, גָּדַף, גָּדַר. Allied to this root also is the series of stems which instead of a palatal begin with a guttural (ח), e.g. חָרַד to split, cut; cf. also חדל, חדק, חדר, חדשׁ, and further חוּס, חוּץ, חזה, חזז, חטב, חטט, חטף, חסל, חסם, חסף, חצב, חצה, חצץ, חצר in the.
The root הם expresses the sound of humming, which is made with the mouth closed (μύω); hence הָמַם, הוּם, הָמָה, (נָאַם) נָהַם Arab. hámhama, to buzz, to hum, to snarl, &c.
As developments from the root רע cf. the stems רָעַד, רָעַל, רָעַם, רָעַע, רָעַץ, רָעַשׁ. Not less numerous are the developments of the root בר (פר, פל) and many others.[2]
Closer investigation of the subject suggests the following observations:
[i] (a) These roots are mere abstractions from stems in actual use, and are themselves not used. They represent rather the hidden germs (semina) of the stems which appear in the language. Yet these stems are sometimes so short as to consist simply of the elements of the root itself, e.g. תַּם to be finished, קַל light. The ascertaining of the root and its meaning, although in many ways very difficult and hazardous, is of great lexicographical importance. It is a wholly different and much contested question whether there ever was a period in the development of the Semitic languages when purely biliteral roots, either isolated and invariable or combined with inflexions, served for the communication of thought. In such a case it would have to be admitted, that the language at first expressed extremely few elementary ideas, which were only gradually extended by additions to denote more delicate shades of meaning. At all events this process of transformation would belong to a period of the language which is entirely outside our range. At the most only the gradual multiplication of stems by means of phonetic change (see below) can be historically proved.
[k] (b) Many of these monosyllabic words are clearly imitations of sounds, and
- ↑ That all triliteral stems are derived from biliterals (as König, Lehrg. ii. 1, 370; M. Lambert in Studies in honour of A. Kohut, Berl. 1897, p. 354 ff.) cannot be definitely proved.
- ↑ Cf. the interesting examination of the Semitic roots QR, KR, XR, by P. Haupt in the Amer. Journ. of Sem. Lang., xxiii (1907), p. 241 ff.
