jt-mḥ

Egyptian

Etymology

jt (“barley”) +‎ mḥ. There are differing views regarding the interpretation of the second element; traditionally it was considered a derivative of mḥw (“Lower Egypt”), making the whole compound mean “Lower Egyptian barley” in contrast with jt-šmꜥ (“Upper Egyptian barley”). Allen instead considers the second element to be mḥ (“full”), making the whole compound mean “full barley” in contrast with šmꜥ (“‘thin’ barley, i.e. barley with fewer grains”).

Pronunciation

• (modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /it mɛh/
  • Conventional anglicization: it-meh

Noun

 m

1. barley of some kind; see the etymology section above for discussion

References

• James P[eter] Allen (2010) Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs, 2nd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, pages 253, 257.