E 0395          (TO)  GRIND

The word " to grind " is of Germanic origin .

H 0378            ש ר ג

Concept of root : semolina

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ש ר ג

geres

semolina

Related English words

to grind

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ש ר ג

geres

semolina

g . r . s

Dutch

gries(meel)

gris(mél)

semolina ;

sand, grit

g r . s

German

Griess

gris

semolina ;

sand, grit

g r . s

English

to grind

to grind

g r . nd

 

 

Proto-Semitic *GIRÈS --- *GRĪS- Proto-Germanic

 

 

One just wonders how this isolated but Biblical word can have a sister in German and Dutch , but it is a fact . No story about loaning can come into the picture. And some Germanic words, like English "grind" and " grit " are probably related to these. The German word is also used for not too fine sand. This has led to some suppositions :

 

 

Note:
  • English " grit " is considered related to the Germanic words of this entry . Rightfully so, because German "Griess" and Dutch "gries" also carry that meaning . Old English " greot" , like Middle Dutch " griet " had the same meaning of " coarse sand " or " grit " . But as these words that end in " T " do not carry any meaning of " semolina " , there is too much uncertainty to introduce a full similarity in this entry .
Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. The root is also used in Aramaic "ג ר ש א, gires'ŕ" It has a cognate in Arabic "jarashah = coarse semolina", in which the initial "G" has changed into a "J ". In all probability the root as it is in Hebrew, existed in Proto-Semitic: "*ג ר ש, G R S".

     

    In Aramaic there is also a version that has for the sound "S" a "Samekh" instead of a "Sin": "ג ר י ס א, geris'ŕ".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic. There are related roots that begin with "GRI/Ī" or "GRÖ/Ü-", and that have instead of a final "S" or double "S" different consonants, like "N", "D", "T" , "ND", "NT"or "TZ".

     

    Examples are Danish "grød" , German "Grütze" and Dutch "grutten", all sister words of English "grits" and "groats".

     

    Another version is seen in Middle Low German "gren, grien" with long vowels, that mean both "semolina" and "fine sand". This is related to "grain" and Middle Dutch indeed has "grien = grain ( of wheat, seed )".

     

    But with a final "S" or a similar sound not many languages present examples. The German word "Griess" , like Dutch"gries" is used to indicate both "semolina" and "fine sand, grit". Besides the words seen in the Table there are Old High German "gruzzi = grits" and "groz = semolina" and "grioz= fine sand (grains)". The related verb is "firgrozzen = to grind". The version with final sibilant as in this entry anyhow will have been present in Proto-Germanic, probably in the form "*GR I S-".

     

    Besides this, Proto-Germanic probably had a form "*GR I ND-" expressing both "to grind" and "semolina". One may note that "grind" in Dutch says "gravel". Here it is not grain but stones that are ground.

 

Note:
  • Indo-European speakers certainly prepared "semolina" and it is probable that they used a root with the consonants "*GR ND" for the concept. This is the root found in English "to grind". This root was also used in Greek and led with a metathesis to a word "khondros" for "semolina", as "coarsely ground cereals".

     

    For the specific words with final "S", as found in this entry, we have no sufficient information to make a hypothesis.

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 21/10/2012 at 12.23.34