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E 0558 MALTHA
The word " maltha " comes, via Latin, from Greek .
H 0588 ט
ל
מ
Concept of root : mixture
for structure
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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ט ל מ
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meleth
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maltha,
mortar
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Related English words
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maltha , from Greek
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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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ט ל מ
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meleth
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maltha, mortar
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m . l . th
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Greek
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μαλθα
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maltha
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mixture of wax and pitch
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m . l th
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English
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maltha
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maltha
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m . l th
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Hebrew MELETH < Proto-Semitic *MALATH --- MALTHA Greek
The Hebrew word "meleth" is quite isolated. A verbal root "
מ
ל
ט , M L TH with the same consonants exists in for example "millèth", but that verb means "to liberate", and the likeness with "meleth" or "mortar" seems fortuitous.
One might say that the Greek "maltha" is used to cover seams in the wooden construction of ships and writing-tablets, and that Hebrew has several roots that begin with the two consonants "L TH" and indicate some ways of "covering". But "meleth" in Hebrew does not have a function of covering but of being used between building-stones. So there is no conclusive indication there either.
Clear and obvious is that both the Greek and the Hebrew roots of the words in this entry deal with mixtures that are used in constructions.
Note:
- Greek. It is possible, but improbable, that this noun " maltha ", and that indicates a soft substance, is related to the word "μαλθων , malthon = soft", mentioned in Entry number E 0595 (Hebrew 0586).
Note:
- English "malt" should not be seen as related to this entry, because this substance is not due to mixing, but to fermentation. "Malt", together with "to melt" instead may be related to the roots meaning "soft" in entry E 0595 (Hebrew 0586).
Note:
- Proto-Semitic. Our Hebrew word "meleth" has a sister in Syriac " מ ל ט א, melathà = mortar". and Arabic loaned it as "milath". The Proto-Semitic root is seen to have been like the Hebrew one, with uncertainty about the used vowels. We suppose, on the basis of comparison with other words with a singular with two " E " s, that Proto-Semitic had one or two " A "s. Probably the word was " *malath ", with the root "* מ ל ט , malath, M L TH".
Note:
- Indo-European . The Greek word has been loaned into Latin and from there it proceeded into newer languages. The available information is insufficient for a hypothesis for Indo-European.
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 07/11/2012 at 17.46.59 |
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