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LA 1253 LUCTARE
H 0544 ם ח
ל
Concept of root : fight,
battle
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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ם ח ל
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lagham
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to
fight, battle
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Related English words
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none
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Comparison between European words and
Hebrew
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Languages
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Words
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Pronunciation
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English meanings
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Similarity in roots
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Hebrew
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ם ח ל
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lagham
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to fight, battle
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l . gh . m
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Latin
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luctare
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luctare
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to fight, battle
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l (u) c t <
l (u) c
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Proto-Semitic *LAGHAM < *LAK- --- *LUC- Latin
The two roots we see, Latin and Hebrew, carry the same message and have "nearly" in common two consonants, that should represent an original two-consonant root : "L C" in Latin and "L GH" in Hebrew. We know that when alphabetic writing began, scholars or writers had some problem in choosing the right symbols. They found identical or locally identical sounds, like GH and KH, and not always had the means to define that such sounds were already a development of different sounds, such as the K becoming KH in the middle or at the end of a word. Therefore one does not have to be surprised if , as in this entry , a Latin C (= K) corresponds with a Hebrew "Ghet". But it is important to find some corroborating evidence in related roots/meanings . We will go into that here below.
Note:
- Latin lucto is Old Latin and in Classic Latin it has been abolished in favor of the medio-passive form "luctari" with the basic form of the first person singular of the present tense "luctor" instead of older "lucto".
Besides this, "lucto" already should have been an intensive form on the basis of an older word with "luc" . Thus the T is not part of the original root .
Note:
- Hebrew. The two-consonant-combinations "L GH", "L K" and "L Q" have contributed to the shaping of a number of three-consonant-roots . Quite of few of these have something to do with activities of the human mouth, and others with situations of physical contact, conflict or aggression. It is this second group that is related to our actual entry, and we find the following
ץ ח ל laghats to push, besiege
ד כ ל lakhad to
seize, occupy
ח ק ל laqagh to grip, seize,
capture.
Though these roots have also some different nuances in their range of meanings, a common message of "coming to grips" is clearly discernable. Thus our root "L GH M" can be seen as having been developed from a two-consonant root "*L K" or the likes, related in origin to the root of Latin "luctare".
Note:
- Latin and Germanic. It is supposed that "lucto" is related to some words that carry the
message of bending and flexing. Such words and their roots certainly exist, but the essence of
coming to grips, fighting and battling is simply not, as the scholars in question reason, that of
"by means of able bendings and flexings escape from the enemy". On the contrary, it is that
of getting the enemy under control by gripping and seizing him.
Therefore also the link to the German word "locker" as in "lockere Beine", or "loose, flexible
legs", is not valid for "lucto", but perhaps for Greek "λυγιζω ,
lϋgizo" = to bend".
Note:
- Proto-Semitic. Proto-Semitic probably had the root still used in Hebrew ,"*ל ח ם , L GH M". Some see its meaning extended from " to fight" and "war" to " to kill". But we are not certain of that. The origin of the root rather lies in the concept of nearness of the bodies when people are fighting . The root is seen in composed words in Moabite and Arabic.
The information in the Note on Hebrew indicates that an older two consonant root presumably should have been present in Proto-Semitic. The first supposition is "*ל ח , L GH ", though "*ל כ ה , L K" + accentuated vowel, "LAKÀ is more attractive in this case.
Note:
- Indo-European. Besides in Latin we have no information about possible cognates in Indo-European languages. We do not see as a cognate Greek "lügizo" = "to bend". The fact that bending, also in the use of this Greek word, naturally occurs also in physical combat, is no indication of a common origin.
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 04/11/2012 at 10.50.41 |
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