Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/miʕay-

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This Proto-Semitic entry contains reconstructed terms 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

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Etymology

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*mi- (device preformative) +‎ *waʕay- (to contain) as in Arabic وِعَاء (wiʕāʔ, container), after Rundgren, who dares speak of “uralte dissimilation” from *miwʕay-. Compare also some forms mentioned under Arabic إِنَاء (ʔināʔ, receptacle) formed in Proto-Semitic.

According to Jastrow there is *ʕayn- (eye; source), since Mishnaic Hebrew מַעְיָן (maʿyān) means both “inside, digestive organ” and “spring, fountain, source, issue”, which, while the Biblical dual or plural also often means “inward parts”, even “emotions”, is for the whole word dubious since like with English inwards, or even English guts, the reverse figurative development is totally likely, but it may be a source of contamination for that variant unless it is not just the *-ān- suffix, which is also most likely.

Noun

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*miʕay- f or m

  1. intestine, tharm

Declension

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Descendants

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  • East Semitic:
    • Akkadian: 𒌍 (amūtum), once 𒈬𒌑𒌈 (mu-ú-tum /⁠mūtum⁠/) (assuming labial assimilation of the first vowel here, alternatively this is the outcome of the sequence iw)
  • West Semitic:

References

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