GD 1051          HOLLEN

H 0465            ל ו ח

Concept of root : to move fast on feet

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ל ו ח

ghol

to dance

Related English words

none

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ל ו ח

ghol

to dance

gh . l

Dutch

hollen

hollen

to trot, run

h . l

 

 

Proto-Semitic *GHOL --- *HŎL- Dutch

 

 

In Hebrew the letter Waw can express either a consonant (mostly W, also V ) or a vowel (mostly O , also U ). When it is found in the middle position of three, as in this case, two developments are frequent . One is that the Waw is pronounced as O, like "GHOL". The other is that the Waw is pronounced as a consonant and that vowels are inserted for a proper pronunciation, such as "GHAWAL".

 

Regarding this entry, the pronunciation "GHOL" is the one we find in some dialects for the Dutch word "hollen". This verb was also present in Middle Dutch but seems not to be found in other Germanic languages . Therefore a hypothesis for Proto-Germanic can not be made.

 

 

Note:
  • Hebrew . Upon comparing the roots GH.O.L of this entry with "H.L.KH" in number GD 1050 (Hebrew 0400), one might in harmony with common developments in the Hebrew language, suppose an original root "*H.W.L" or perhaps better spelled "H.O.L." , carrying a meaning of movement on one's feet. By intensifying the initial consonant "H", making a Ghet" out of it, an increasing intensiveness can be expressed. By instead of this adding a third consonant K, pronounced KH at the end of a word, the movement takes a specific direction .

     

    This is still hypothetical, but it seems the way many languages develop, and certainly Hebrew has developed .

 

Note:
  • Hebrew has also a newer version "ח י ל , GH Y L" , in which the letter Waw has become a Yod, maintaining the same meaning of "to dance", but not the other meanings of the older version with the Waw, such as "to fall (upon)" and "to occur".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic This Hebrew root is also seen in Aramaic "ח ו ל , ghol" and "ח י י ל, ghayyèl". Arabic "ghala = to whirl, turn" and Ugaritic used the same root . Probably it was already present in Proto-Semitic "*ח ו ל , GH W L". We presume a pronunciation with a vowel " O " existed.

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 28/10/2012 at 13.03.39