GR 1133          ALÈTHÈS

 

H 0139             ל י ל ע

 

Concept : reality

 

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ל י ל ע

ל ה י ל ע

‛alil ;

‛alilà

actually, really;

action, fact, reality

 

 

Related English words

none

 

 

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ל ; י ל ע

-

ל ה י ל ע

‛alil ;

-

‛alilà

actually, really ;

action, fact, reality

‛a l i l ;

-

‛a l i l .

Greek

αληθης

alèthès

real, actual

 a l è (th)

 

 

Proto-Semitic *‛ALIL --- *ALÈTHÈS Greek

 

 

In the basic meaning the two roots are rather near, though the Hebrew word indicates more the aspect of " action" and the Greek one that of " happening really". Then in development Hebrew doubled the L, whereas Greek has added a TH.

 

The Hebrew word "ע ל י ל , ‛alil = really, openly, clearly" is used in Medieval Hebrew. It should have its origin wioth the same message in older language. It occurs in the Bible in Psalm 12:7, but there the common translation is different: "melting pot", specifically used to purify silver seven times. This may even be unrelated.

 

Besides this word there is the other mentioned one: " ע ל י ל ה , ‛alilà = deed, act" , but it must be remarked that an identical word stands for "pretext, false accusation".

 

Then if we look into the reasonings about Greek etymology, we must conclude that if we accept these, there is no common origin with Hebrew for the words of this entry.

 

Note:
  • Greek scholars see the initial vowel A of this word "alèthès" as a so-called "stereticus" Alpha, that is an A that contradicts the following part. An example in English is "apathy", referring to a person who does not feel (pathein). The negated or contradicted following part, "lèth" is then seen as coming from "λανθανω , lanthano" that stands for "to be inobserved, not perceived " as well as " to not perceive ".

     

    But this a bit odd roundabout way of reasoning does not convince very much, and the meanings are so far off that a simple " stereotic " Aleph would be insufficient to create the concept of "true fact ". So one may have to accept that there is no explanation for an atymologi of this important word "alèthès". . One can add to this that a version with "’E", "ληθη , lèthè" says simply "oblivion". Certainly something that is in oblivion remains as real and true as before !

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. Information about possible cognates in other branches of Indo-European seems not available. The comparison remains between Semitic and Greek.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. There seen to be no cognates in other Semitic languages. The sometimes mentioned Arabic word " ‛alla = to repeat an action, do for a second time " is not sufficient to make a hypothesis for Proto-Semitic.

 

 

 

 
"...the town, to which was given the name Babel, because it was there that the Lord confused the language of all the world on the face of which He dispersed them. GENESIS 11,9"
 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 22/12/2012 at 14.33.46