E 0471          HUSH

The word " hush " is of Germanic origin .

H 0406            ה ס ה , ס ה

Concept of root : silence

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

; ס ה;

; ה ס ה

ה ה ס ה

has ;

hissé;

héhessé

silence;

to be silent;

to silence

Related English words

to hush ; Middle English : huisst

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ס ה ;

ה ס ה

ה ס ה ה

has ;

hissé; héhessé

silence;

to be silent;

to silence

h s

English

to hush

to silence, placate

h . sh

 

 

Proto-Semitic *HŎS --- *HUSH English

 

 

English "to hush" and "a hush" bring the same meaning and well-nigh same basic root as the Hebrew one of this entry. That should be sufficient to speak about a similarity. Of course there is talk that this word has been derived from an interjection-like "HSH". This may have some truth, as words are formed in some way, but we will never know that for certain. And we should anyhow take into account that other languages use different words to express the concepts of English "to hush" or Hebrew "hissé". Interesting is that Arabic has "hus", but uses the verbal form " hassà" for " he whispered".

 

It is useful to mention that English also had a version "husht", probably influenced by various brief "words" like "sht", "sh" and "st", that are all used to impose silence. There are further for this use "whist, whisht, hist".

 

 

Note:
  • Hebrew. The concepts of "silence" and "quiet" are confirmed by the root " ח ש ה , ghashà ", saying ", "to be inactive, silent".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. This root is also used in Arabic , in the word "hus = hush!, silence!" and related words as hassa = he whispered" and "hashasah = secret talk". It may have been present in Proto-Semitic as well : "* ה ס , H S". A pronunciation with "Ŏ" is possible.

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 22/10/2012 at 18.21.43