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E 0575 MEARU
The Old English word " mearu "is of Germanic origin .
H 0599 ך
ר
מ
Concept of root : soft,
weak
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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ך ר מ
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morekh;
marakh
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softness, weakness, timidity;
to soften, intimidate
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Related English words
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morbid; Old English : mearu
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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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ך ר מ
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morekh;
-
-
marakh;
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softness, weakness, timidity;
to soften, intimidiate
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m . r . kh
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Old English
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mearu
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soft, weak, tender
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m . r (u)
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Dutch
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murw
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mǔrw
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soft, weak, tender
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m . r w
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Middle Dutch
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moru(w), meuru, meurw, moorw,
morwe
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morü,
meurü
meurw,
moorw,
morwe
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soft, weak, tender
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m . r uw
m . r u
m . r w
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German
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mürb
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mürb
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soft, weak, tender
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m . r b
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Old High German
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muruwi, murwi
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muruwi,
murwi
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soft, weak, tender
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m . r uw,
m . r w
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Latin
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(morbidus)
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(morbidus)
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(sick, sickening)
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m . r b
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Italian
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morbido
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morbido
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soft, tender
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m . r b
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Proto-Semitic *MOREK --- *MOR- Proto-Germanic
The meanings of these words are literal as well as figurative. The difference lies in the third consonant, that is a K, pronounced KH, in Hebrew , whereas in the Germanic words we see a W or U, that are certainly of common origin. A partial exception is Modern German, that with its tendency towards sharper sounds has changed the W into a B.
Note:
- Latin and Italian. Latin shows us only the meaning of "sick", and scholars say this word "morbidus" has nothing to do with those of our entry. Morbidus is seen as derived from the word "morbus" = "sickness, passion, grief". This may be true, but it does not explain why Italian has (again?) the same message as the words in the other languages. Something has slipped off in these etymological theories around "morbidus".
Other scholars suppose that Italian " morbido " that also is written " morvido ", is of Germanic origin. It is probable that Latin " morbidus " has influenced the Germanic word ( see Old High German " murwi ") as it became absorbed into Italian. Many Germanic words have been adapted into Italian in the centuries of a.o. Gothic and Longobard domination .
Note:
- Hebrew. There is a view that this word would be the mother of the verb of this entry, that as shown has indeed the same root. It is then believed that our verb "marakh" has been derived from another verb, "ר כ ך , R. KH. KH, rakhakh = to be soft, tender, mild". But that last verb really has developed out of a shorter, two consonant root "R . K", seen in the word "rakh = soft, tender, thin, mild " . A two consonant verb can be seen though in Syriac "rakh " and Arabic "rakka = was feeble, weak, poor, meager". Aramaic , like Hebrew, shows a root "R . K . K" .
The mentioned thesis is anyhow hard to defend, exactly because also the verb "marakh" exists! It seems rather useless to see then the verb as a "back formation" of the noun . Indeed, " morekh" should not be considered as a participle with prefix "M", but as a regular noun that indicates a common origin .
Note:
- Proto-Semitic The root "* מ ר ך , M . R . K" is seen as already present in Proto-Semitic, which we accept, though we have no clear indications from other Semitic languages. Certainly the final " K " had its original pronunciation.
Note:
- Proto-Germanic has these words in a limited number of tongues, Old English as well as German and Dutch with their predecessors . The "W","U" or "B" after the "R" probably have been later developments, as in the Nordic languages we do not see such consonants. Indeed the "W" or "U" is seen as a suffix, but the meaning of this suffix as such seems unclear, as it has not added anything to the meaning of the words. We see Swedish and Norwegian "mör", Danish "mĝr" , New Norwegian "moyr" and Old Norse "meyrr" . "Later developments" must be a rather relative statement as Old English had "mearu" and Old High German "maro" and "mar(a)wi). Proto-Germanic probably had "*M U R-" , but also "*M O R- may have been used.
Note:
- Indo-European. The useful information is nearly limited to Germanic. Some words are seen as related to the Germanic ones, but the suppositions in that sense are little convincing. Greek has a verb "maraino = to consume, destroy" and in passive "to be consumed, faint" and this last meaning might be related to "weakness". Old Indian "mrnati = he crushes" is way off. Middle Irish "meirb = lifeless, flaccid" may be related . There is not sufficient information for a hypothesis different from Proto-Germanic.
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 28/01/2013 at 15.47.16 |
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