E 0198          COVE

The  word " cove " is of  Germanic origin .

H 0414            ה ב ח , א ב ח

Concept of root : hiding oneself

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

א ב ח ;

א ב ח ;

ה ב ח

ghibbà;

ghubbà;

ghavà

to hide ; 

he was hidden ; 

to  hide oneself

Related English words

cove

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

א ב ח

א ב ח

ה ב ח

ghibbà;

ghubbà;

ghavà

to hide;

he was hidden;

to
hide oneself

gh . b .

Latin

cubare

cubare

to lay  (also in hiding )

c . b .

Italian

covo

covo

hidingplace

c . v

English

cove

cove

c . v

 

 

Proto-Semitic *GHAB'À --- *KOF- Proto-Germanic

 

 

It is difficult to establish a clear similarity in sound and meaning in this case and doubts about the possibility of a common origin are present.

 

The basic message of the Latin root seems to be more that of being in a lying or crouching position than that of indicating the objective why such a position is chosen. On the other hand derived words, as "cubile " for "lair , hiding place " shift some more towards the Hebrew root.

 

Latin has another verb, "cumbere" for " to lay down " . This was less common , but it is still found in for example English " incumbent ". "Cubare" also has left its traces , as in "concubine" .

 

On the Hebrew side, there is no real indication for this root more near the concept of "lying down " . This does not exclude the common origin , but it means that in Hebrew the root has travelled a road of specialization, from the action towards this special reason of that action. This is not so odd if one considers that also Italian " covo " has gone far in that direction. The Italian verb "covare " has also followed another road to specialization, meaning " to brood", both litterally and figuratively.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. Both three consonant roots were present in Biblical Hebrew. The one with final Aleph is seen in various composed verbs, like the quoted form "ghubbà", though not specifically found in the quoted form "ghibbà" .

     

    This root is found in Aramaic "ח ב א, ghaw'à = he hid" . Amorite used the same root , as does Arabic in "ghabā" and Ethiopian in "ghaba'à", all with the same meaning. The version with Aleph was probably present in Proto-Semitic : "*ח ב א, GH B Aleph". The change of the pronunciation of the third consonant " B " into " V " hardly could have begun in Proto-Semitic, as the " B " is still present in several languages, such as Ethiopian, Arabic and Syriac.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic. The English word "cove" has been preceded by Old English "cofa = cove, cave, den". In Old Norse we find "kofi = cove, cabin". Proto-Germanic may have had a form "*K O F-". But these words can be found in entry E 0182 (Hebrew 0749), and the relation still has to be established.

 

Note:
  • Greek uses a word that is considered related to "cove" in "γ υ π η , gùpè, that means both a vulture's nest and a animal's hiding place underground. Confusing is the fact that a " γ υ ψ , gùps is a "vulture". Therefore we have to leave these words out of our comparison.

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. With the Greek contribution uncertain and no further information available, we have to stick to the comparison between Semitic and Germanic, as often is the case.

 

 

 

 
"...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: 23/01/2013 at 18.49.31