0629_nawav page

E 0613 NAUTICAL, NAVAL

The word "nautical" has, via Latin, a Greek origin .

The word "naval" is of Latin origin .

H 0629 ב נ *, ב ב נ

Concept of root :hollowing out

Hebrew word		pronunciation				English meanings
ב נ* , ב ב נ		nawav, *nav				to hollow out

Related English words				nautical, naval, from Greek and Latin

Comparison between European words and Hebrew
Languages	Words		Pronunciation		English meanings		Similarity in roots
Hebrew	ב נ *, ב ב נ		nawav, nav*		to hollow out		n . b . b ; < *n (a) b
Greek	ναυς		naüs		ship		n (a) ü
Greek (Homer)	νηυς		nèüs		ship		n (e) ü
Latin	navis		navis		ship		n (a) v
English	nautical ; naval				nautical ; naval		n (au) ; n (a) v
Armenian	nav		nav		ship		n (a) v
Kymric	neo		neo		low vessel, kneading trough		n (e) (o) < *n (e) w
Middle High German	nuosch		nuosh		water trough		n (u) (o) sh

Hebrew NAWAV < Proto-Semitic NAV/B --- *NĀŪ- Indo-European

At first sight the two concepts, Greek "ship" and Hebrew "to hollow out", seem wide apart. But if we look into humanity’s far past, we see that the first boats man made, were just hollowed out tree trunks. With this knowledge we see that distance disappear.

And whereas the Greek "naus" of classical times could be of various types, the "νηυς , nèüs" Homer wrote about was a deckless ship, still much nearer to the origin of a hollow vessel. We opt for this similarity a possible common origin of the roots.

This supposition finds confirmation in some other Indo-European words. Therefore we have mentioned here even Kymric "neo", though we have no direct knowledge of that language. Middle High German gives a clear indication.

Note:

Greek "naüs = ship" should not be confused with another very important word, "ναος , naos = temple". "Naüs" is, like many other Greek words, the mother of numerous European terms, such as English "nautical" and "aeronaut".

Note:

Latin "navis" is found at the origin of English "naval, navy, navigate" etcetera.

Note:

Indo-European has a hypothesis of "*NAU-M", that should be adapted into "*N Ā Ū-", as the " M " where it occurs is not part of the root.

Note:

Hebrew. This verb is an old one, found in its participle "nawuv = hollow". The root "N B B" is certainly an extension of an older root "*N B". And this is the one akin to the European words mentioned in this entry. The reader knows that in Hebrew the B (Bet) between vowels or at the end of a word is pronounced as W or V.

Note:

Proto-Semitic. There is no strong direct evidence from outside Hebrew . Words for "pipe, flute, tube, door, gate" are too far off in meaning, but the first three may be hollowed out objects like old canoes. And this may indicate a common origin in Proto-Semitic "* נ ב , N B, nav or nab".

Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 28/01/2013 at 16.15.09

nawav, *nav

to hollow out

nautical, naval, from Greek and Latin

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Hebrew *NAWAV < Proto-Semitic *NAV/B --- *NĀŪ- Indo-European

Hebrew NAWAV < Proto-Semitic NAV/B --- *NĀŪ- Indo-European