Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/libb-

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

Etymology

From Proto-Afroasiatic *lib- (“heart”). Cognate with Proto-Berber *ulβ (see Central Atlas Tamazight ⵓⵍ (ul) for more) and Egyptian jb.

Noun

*libb- m

1. heart

Inflection

Declension of *libb-

Case	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*libbum	*libbāna	plural stem + *-ūna
Genitive	*libbim	*libbayna	plural stem + *-īna
Accusative	*libbam
possessive forms
1st person	*libbī / *libbVya	—	*libbVni
2nd person m	*libbVka	*libbVkumā / *libbVkumay	*libbVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*libbVki		*libbVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*libbVšu	*libbVšumā / *libbVšumay	*libbVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*libbVša		*libbVšin(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. Note: the ending -V before the possessive endings responds to case: *libbuya for nom. case, *libbiya for gen. case, *libbaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *libb- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *libbuka *libbāka plural stem + *-ūka Genitive *libbika *libbayka plural stem + *-īka Accusative *libbaka Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *libb- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *libbuki *libbāki plural stem + *-ūki Genitive *libbiki *libbayki plural stem + *-īki Accusative *libbaki

Descendants

• East Semitic:
  • Akkadian: 𒊮 (libbum)
  • Eblaite: 𒇷𒅤 (li-bù /⁠libbu(m)⁠/)
• West Semitic:
  • Central Semitic:
    • Arabic: لُبّ (lubb)
    • Northwest Semitic:
      • Aramaic: לִבָּא (libbā)
        • Classical Syriac: ܠܶܒܴ݁ܐ (lebbā)
      • Canaanite:
        • Hebrew: לֵב (lev, lēḇ), לֵבָב (leváv, lēḇāḇ)
        • Phoenician: 𐤋𐤁 (lb)
      • Ugaritic: 𐎍𐎁 (lb /⁠libbu⁠/)
      • Old South Arabian:
        • Sabaean: 𐩡𐩨 (lb, “heart”), 𐩡𐩨𐩨 (lbb, “palm-heart”)
        • Minaean: 𐩡𐩨 (lb)
  • Ethiopian Semitic:
    • Ge'ez: ልብ (ləbb)
    • Amharic: ልብ (ləbb)
    • Tigre: ልብ (ləbb)
    • Tigrinya: ልቢ (ləbbi)