|
E 0243 DEAR
The word " dear " is of
Germanic origin
H 0392 ר ד ה
Concept of root : preciousness
|
Hebrew word
|
pronunciation
|
English meanings
|
|
ר ד ה
|
hadar
|
to
honour, prefer;
magnificence
|
|
|
|
Related English words
|
dear ,
Old English : diere
|
|
|
Comparison between European words and
Hebrew
|
Languages
|
Words
|
Pronunciation
|
English meanings
|
Similarity in roots
|
|
Hebrew
|
ר ד ה
|
hadar
|
to honour, prefer;
magnificence
|
h . d . r
|
|
Old English
|
diere
|
|
dear
|
d . r
|
|
English
|
dear
|
|
dear
|
d . r
|
|
Dutch
|
duur
|
dǖr
|
precious, costly
|
d . r
|
|
Middle Dutch
|
diere
|
dire
|
precious, magnifi-
cent, costly
|
d . r
|
Proto-Semitic *HADER < *DŎR --- *DŪR- < Proto-Germanic
Our similarity is based on the supposition that the first consonant of this Hebrew root, the H, has been placed in front of the other two "D + R", to form a three-consonant-root. This finds some confirmation in the word "
ד
ר , dar ", that stands for precious stones or materials. The root "hadar" in fact indicates that a person or object is considered precious, as says the noun "dar" and Dutch "duur".
The second aspect is that, at least in Middle Dutch, a language that often longer than its sisters stuck to ancient meanings for its words, also has the aspect of magnificence in its range, like Hebrew. The difference is that the concept of " honouring " is not carried in the Germanic words. But this is more a secondary message after the establishment of high value . Apparently this has developed in Hebrew . But also modern Hebrew still uses this root for the ideas of " beauty, splendor, glory", besides "honour".
Note:
- Proto-Semitic
The root of this entry is found in Aramaic and Syriac "ה ד ר, hader = to adorn, glorify, honour". Akkadian "adaru " says " to fear " and that does not seem related. The basis for a hypothesis of a root similar to Hebrew remains narrow but realistic "*ה ד ר ,H D R". To this must be added, as remarked above, that this three consonant root presumably had a predecessor with two consonants : "*ד ר ,D R". pronounced perhaps "*DÈR" or more probably "*DOR".
Note:
- English has partially shifted the meaning of the root "D R", to that of "beloved ( person )". In Dutch this has been done with the composed word " dierbaar".
Note:
- Dutch "duur" has acquired as principal meaning in modern language "costly", "having a high price". Middle Dutch still had the same vowel as Old English and with "diere" also covered the concepts of "magnificent" for a person and of solemnity, all as in Hebrew "hadar".
Note:
- Proto-Germanic Older Germanic languages have many words related to those of this entry. Old Norse, Old Danish, Old Swedish all have "dyr", that is still used. Old Saxon has "diuri", Old High German has changed the "D" into "T" in "tiuri" and Old English "dīere, dēore". Middle Dutch shows "dūre, diere". Proto-Germanic probably had an initial " D " and final " R ". The long "Ī" as a vowel may have been developed out of an earlier " U ", also seen the fact that " U " in older Germanic languages: "D Ī R-" < "D Ū R".
Note:
- Indo-European Cognates in other Indo-European languages seem not be present and the comparison stays between Semitic and Germanic.
|
|
|
| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 22/10/2012 at 15.27.30 |
|