|
E 0202 CRACK
The word " crack " is of
Germanic origin .
H 0447 ך ר ח
Concept of root : crack
|
Hebrew word
|
pronunciation
|
English meanings
|
|
ך ר ח
|
gharakh
|
crack
|
|
|
|
Related English words
|
crack
|
|
|
Comparison between European words and Hebrew
|
Languages
|
Words
|
Pronunciation
|
English meanings
|
Similarity in roots
|
|
Hebrew
|
ך ר ח
|
gharakh
|
crack
|
gh . r . kh
|
|
German
|
krachen
|
krakhen
|
to break, to make noise
|
k r . kh
|
|
English
|
crack
|
|
crack
|
c r . ck
|
Proto-Semitic *GHARAK --- *KRĀK- Proto-Germanic
The similarity between these two roots is rather clear. One sees Hebrew using two vowels where English uses one, but that is just one of the most common differences in practice between European languages and Hebrew on the basis of one and the same root.
Note:
- Hebrew uses a similar root for the concept of "to singe", and the meaning of "crack" is not frequently used , but it is still found in modern language . Thus the interface in this entry is not wide, but quite real.
The word is found in Song of Songs 2: 9. Some translate it there as a "grate" through which the "lover glimpses". Others say there were cracks , besides window-openings.
Note:
- Proto-Semitic The root "GH R K" with the message of " to singe " is found in Aramaic "ח ר ך , gharakh = to singe, scorch, roast". Arabic "gharaqa = he burned" shows some mix-up between a final "K" and a final "Q", but this root in the first version probably will have been used in Proto-Semitic. That gives no basis for a hypothesis in the sense of "crack" nor in that of "grate", two concepts that in Modern Hebrew are also expressed with a root "GH R Q". Proto-Semitic would be "*ח ר ך , GH R K".
The change of the pronunciation of the third consonant " K " into " KH ", as in Hebrew, must have occurred later than in Proto-Semitic, as even Aramaic, that often divides its developments with Hebrew, still used an unchanged " K " in "ח ר ך א, gharakką = crack".
Note:
- English "crack" is often considered to have the sound of "cracking" as its origin. Thus a "crack" in some material would have been named after the sound with which it comes about. This is not too convincing. Cracks arrive also with little or no sound at all, perhaps much more frequently than with noise. Anyway, the English root deals both with a cracking sound and a crack in the floor, and there is uncertainty which came first. It is even possible that two roots flowed together.
Note:
- German shows a picture comparable with English, with two meanings for this root. Perhaps more clearly it stands for "to break", independently of any noise. And it is also used figuratively in that sense. The same goes for Dutch "kraak" .
Note:
- Proto-Germanic There exists an opinion that the Germanic , in fact as it appears only West-Germanic , root of this entry is of a sound-imitating origin. As such it is seen as related to the group of English "to cry". We believe this is improbable, also as there is similarity with other Indo European words, apart of course from Semitic.
The West Germanic languages that have this word, present "KR A K" , as in Dutch "kraken". Then a spelling variation in English"crac" after Old English "cracian " and the German form, in which, after Old High German "krahhen" the final "K" is pronounced "KH" and spelled "CH" in "krachen". Proto-Germanic probably had this word as "*KR Ā K-. Not probable is a hypothesized "*karkian".
Note:
- Indo-European. We have no information from other branches of Indo-European about possible cognates. Several words have been proposed as cognates : Lithuanian "girgždeti = to crack", Old Church Slavonic "grochotŭ = din, noise", Irish "grágairecht = scratching, croaking", Armenian "karkac = din, noise" and Old Indian "garjati = he rages". It is very difficult to define a common predecessor in sound and meaning for the mentioned words. The comparison has to remain for now between Semitic and Germanic.
|
|
|
| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 24/01/2013 at 15.39.16 |
|