E 0973          (TO) WAG, WAGGLE

The words " wag " and " waggle " are of Germanic origin .

H 0614            ג ו מ

Concept of root : vacillating

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ג ו מ

mawag

to waggle

Related English words

to waggle

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ג ו מ

mawag

to waggle

m(o) g;

*w g

English

to wag ,

to waggle

to wag,

to waggle

w . g;

w . g. (l)

 

 

Proto-Semitic *MA-WAG --- *WĂG- Indo-European

 

 

This entry is to be seen in relation with number E 0972 (Hebrew 0219) .

 

Our supposition of similarity assumes that the M, the first consonant of this Hebrew root, is in reality a prefix. This leaves us with a root "*W G" for "to wag, waggle", identical to English. There has not been found any convincing theory for the etymology of English "to wag". A timid tentative to link "wag" to "way" slips on the absence of a substantial link in meaning. Another more interesting one is that of a link with "to weigh", on account of the way a pair of scales moves. But also this one still remains very far off indeed. The brief movement of scales after weights are put on has little to do with wagging.

 

 

Note:
  • English "to waggle" is an iterative form of "to wag". It has its sisters in German "wackeln", Dutch "waggelen", Norwegian "vagga, vakla", Icelandic "vagga" and Swedish "vackla". Danish has "vakle". English "to wiggle" comes from Middle Dutch "wiggelen" with the same meaning.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew. In modern language this verb with the message "unstable walking" of this entry is out of use . There has remained a similar root saying "to melt, dissolve". This second root, usually considered to be one and the same with the one that says " to waggle", may rather be the result of a different development, in which the "M" was not a prefix , but part of the original root. This idea is reinforced if we look at another root, "M.G.G" with comparable meaning .

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. A root as mentioned, " מ ו ג , M W G, with the sense of " to melt " is found in Aramaic. For "to waggle " and similar meanings we have not much evidence from outside Hebrew. But a hypothesis may be justified because in Biblical Hebrew this verb has many elaborated forms. Basic "mawag" or "mog" says to waggle". The passive form "namog" carried a message of "to ondulate, oscillate" and is related.

     

    In Arabic we find the verbal form "māja = it surged ( the sea )" and "mauj = wave", semantically related to the words of this entry.

     

    Then there are other forms that perhaps are of a related identical root , with meanings in the field of melting and liquifying. In the sense of "oscillating, waggling", Proto-Semitic may have had this root : "* מ ו ג , M W G".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic. As mentioned in our Note English, the verb " to waggle" has its sisters in German "wackeln" and Dutch as well as Middle Dutch "waggelen". In the Northern parts of Norway and Sweden the verb "vagla" is used. These verbs are all iterative versions of a basic root "W (A) G" that is also found in Sweden, Norway and Iceland : "vagga = to move to and fro, rock, wobble; cradle". Old Norse had "vaga" and also Dutch and Middle Dutch show "wagen" respectively "waghen". And Old English is not less, with "wagian" , like Old High German "wagon". There can be little doubt about a Proto-Germanic "*W A G-".

 

Note:
  • Indo-European The existing hypotheses "*W A K-" and "*W A G-" are indeed two realistic possibilities. The first one finds more support in Old Indian.

     

    Old Indian has a nasalized "vancati = to waver, waggle" and related meanings. There is also a related non nasalized "vakyate = to rock, roll".

 

 

 

 
"...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: 10/11/2012 at 9.50.39