Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ḏanab-

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

Alternative forms

*ḏinab-

Etymology

Most likely from Proto-Afroasiatic *danb- (“hindquarters”). The Iranian terms belonging to Persian (donb), albeit identical in form and meaning to Aramaic words for tail, are unrelated.

Noun

*ḏanab- m

tail

Inflection

Declension of *ḏanab-

Case

Singular

Dual

Plural

Nominative

*ḏanabum

*ḏanabāna

plural stem + *-ūna

Genitive

*ḏanabim

*ḏanabayna

plural stem + *-īna

Accusative

*ḏanabam

possessive forms

1st person

*ḏanabī / *ḏanabVya

—

*ḏanabVni

2nd person m

*ḏanabVka

*ḏanabVkumā / *ḏanabVkumay

*ḏanabVkum(ū)

2nd person f

*ḏanabVki

*ḏanabVkin(ā)

3rd person m

*ḏanabVšu

*ḏanabVšumā / *ḏanabVšumay

*ḏanabVšum(ū)

3rd person f

*ḏanabVša

*ḏanabVšin(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: *ḏanabuya for nom. case, *ḏanabiya for gen. case, *ḏanabaya for acc. case, etc.

Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *ḏanab-

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ḏanabuka	*ḏanabāka	plural stem + *-ūka
Genitive	*ḏanabika	*ḏanabayka	plural stem + *-īka
Accusative	*ḏanabaka	*ḏanabayka	plural stem + *-īka

Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *ḏanab-

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ḏanabuki	*ḏanabāki	plural stem + *-ūki
Genitive	*ḏanabiki	*ḏanabayki	plural stem + *-īki
Accusative	*ḏanabaki	*ḏanabayki	plural stem + *-īki

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒆲 (zibbatum)
- Eblaite: 𒂠𒈾𒅤 (še₃-na-bu₃), 𒊺𒉈𒅗 (še-ne-buₓ /⁠ḏanabum⁠/)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: ذَنَب (ḏanab)
    - Maltese: denb
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Aramaic:
      Jewish Literary Aramaic: דַּנְבָא (danḇā), דּוּנּבָא (dunḇā)
      
      Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: דַּנְבָא (danḇā)
      
      Christian Palestinian Aramaic: ܕܢܘܒܐ (or this is a manuscript error and it is like in Syriac)
      - Classical Syriac: ܕܾ݁ܘܢܒ݁ܐ (dunḇā)
      - Classical Mandaic: ࡃࡍࡀࡁ (dnab), ࡃࡉࡍࡁࡀ (dinba), ࡃࡉࡍࡀࡁࡕࡀ (dinabta), ࡃࡉࡍࡉࡐࡕࡀ (dinipta), ࡃࡀࡍࡉࡐࡕࡀ (danipta)
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: זָנָב (zanáv, zānāḇ)
    - Ugaritic: 𐎏𐎐𐎁 (ḏnb /⁠ḏanabu⁠/), 𐎏𐎐𐎁𐎚 (ḏnbt /⁠ḏanabatu⁠/)
- Ethiopian Semitic:
  - Ge'ez: ዘነብ (zänäb)
    - → Amharic: ዘነብ (zänäb), ዘለብ (zäläb) (learned)
    - → Tigrinya: ዘነብ (zänäb) (learned)
  - Tigre: ዘነብ (zänäb)
- Modern South Arabian:
  - Mehri: ḏənūb
  - Harsusi: ḏenēb
  - Shehri: ḏúnúb
  - Soqotri: dínob

References

Militarev, Alexander, Kogan, Leonid (2000) Semitic Etymological Dictionary, volumes I: Anatomy of Man and Animals, Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, →ISBN, pages 60–61 Nr. 64

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