GR 1205          KOPOS

H 0497            ה פ כ

H 0497            ף פ כ

Concept of root : to force

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ה פ כ

ה פ כ ו

ף פ כ

kaphà;

kophé;

kaphaph

to force;

to forcing;

to force

Related English words

none

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ה פ כ

ה פ כ ו

ף פ כ

kaphà;

kophé;

kaphaph

to force;

forcing;

to force

k . p >

k . p . p

Greek

κοπος;

κοποω

-

kopos;

kopo’o

-

effort, toil;

to toil, to make toil

k . p

 

 

Proto-Semitic *KAPÀ --- *KOP-OS Greek

 

 

The Hebrew root means "to force" in various senses. Thus it comprises also part of the range of meanings of the Greek root. The difference is that the Greek root is used for both transitive and intransitive meanings, whereas the Hebrew one is only transitive. See entry E 0515 (Hebrew 0499).

 

Note:
  • Hebrew also uses the word "kaphà" to express "subduing". This is just a specific way of exercizing force, a common way of diversifying meanings of existing words or roots. The abovementioned verb "kaphaph" besides " to force, compel" also means " "to bend".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. We find this root in Aramaic and Syriac "כ פ א , kefà = the bent, inclined, overturned". Arabic "kafa'à = he overturned" . Akkadian "kipū" has the meaning of " to bend" for which Hebrew has used an extended form of the same root, "כ פ ף , K P P", found in entry E 0515 (Hebrew 0499). In Arabic, and again in Aramaic and Syriac the root of this entry says " to overturn". It was probably present in Proto-Semitic in the sense of " to bend, make bend, (forcefully)": "*כ פ ה , K P H (accentuated vowel)).

     

    The middle consonant " P " is pronounced " PH " in Hebrew and Aramaic, Syriac and Arabic, but in Akkadian we see an unchanged " P " . This means that the change from " P " into " PH ", that anyhow also in Hebrew not conquered all forms ( doubled " P " does not change ), may have begun in Proto-Semitic. In the above comparison we maintain the original " P ":

     

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. From outside Greek we lack indications for possible cognates in other Indo-European languages.

 

 

 

 
"...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: 25/01/2013 at 15.05.54