E 0295          ENOUGH

The word " enough " is of Germanic origin .

H 0669         ח ו נ

Concept of root :pleasant, convenient, satisfying

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ח ו נ

noagh

nuagh

pleasant, satisfying;

rest, repose

Related English words

enough, Old English genog.

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ח ו נ

noagh;

-

-

nuagh

pleasant, convenient, satisfying;

rest, repose

n  . w . gh

Old English

genog

enough

n (o) g

English

enough

enough

n (ou) gh

Dutch

genoeg ; genoegdoening;

genoegen

ghenugh;

ghenughduning;

ghenughen

enough;

satisfaction;

pleasure

n (u) gh

Middle Dutch

noech, genoegh; noegen

-

-

-

nugh, ghenogh; nughen

-

-

-

enough, satisfying;

to please, be enough, find pleasure

n (u) gh

 

 

Proto-Semitic *NUAGH --- *NŪGH- Proto-Germanic

 

 

This Hebrew root has two sets of messages, one that of "rest and quiet", the other that of "satisfaction". Both ideas can be related, but it is not fully certain that the root is just one. Anyhow, the second is subject of the similarity of this entry, that is to be seen linked to entry E 0295 (Hebrew 0643). And this we inserted above.

 

The "satisfaction"-concept is even reinforced in an abbreviated and then extended root , also mentioned in entry E 0295 (Hebrew 0643): " נ ח ח , N GH GH, to please (G)".

 

Note:
  • Hebrew . The Hebrew verb " נ ו ח , root N W GH", has as its most frequent meaning that of "rest, settling down, quiet". Originally this was obviously linked to the concepts mentioned in this entry for the adjective, concepts that are so clearly corresponding to those found in the Germanic language Dutch. We know of Dutch that is has maintained many old forms and concepts.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew offers as well another verb, probably related to "nuagh", that has an Ayin, ע, as a first consonant and does not have the Waw or U-sound : " ע נ ג, oneg = pleasure ". Also the final GH has (re)turned into G.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic . The Hebrew root " נ ו ח , N W GH " probably was already in use in Proto-Semitic : "* נ ו ח , N W GH". With the meaning of "to rest" it is found in Aramaic " נ ו ח , nuagh"" and Ethiopian "nogha". With the same meaning but without the central Waw, a shorter root " נ ח , N GH" is used in Syriac, Ugaritic and in Akkadian "nahhu". Arabic "anāhha" has added an initial vowel " A " to say "to make camels rest".

 

Note:
  • German, Dutch and Middle Dutch have three concepts served by an identical root : "sufficient, satisfaction, pleasure". They may form a logical consequence, but not in all circumstances. "Pleasure" can be a greater form of "satisfaction" and "satisfaction" can be produced by things being "sufficient". Truly, the word "satisfactio" in Latin is based on "satis = enough".

 

Note:
  • Germanic has perhaps the clearest picture in Dutch, but also German and Swedish participate, as shown in entry E 0295 (Hebrew 0643).

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic One must take into account that "ge-" is a very old prefix and that the original word for "enough" did not have this prefix. It is quite probable that the prefix, seen in many Germanic languages, but also co-existing as in Middle Dutch with the version without prefix, was already present in Proto-Germanic. All words have then a first consonant "N", a vowel "U" or O" and a final consonant spelled "G" or CH", pronounced as "G" or "GH". As vowel the "U" is more frequent. The Middle Dutch and Dutch "OE" is identical in sound to "U". The pronunciation of the final "G" is uncertain, but the existence of Gothic "*ganohs = enough" besides "ganah = sufficient" in which we see an "H" instead of "G", makes the pronunciation "GH" in Proto-Germanic more probable. Proto-Germanic thus probably had two forms, "*N U GH-" and also prefixed "*GE N U GH".

 

Note:
  • Indo-European . There are hypotheses "*NAK-". "*NEK-", "NK" , all based on Latin "nanciscor, na(n)ctus, naciscī , that means "to reach, obtain", together with Old Indian "naśati" with the same meanings. Regretfully the distance between "to reach, obtain" and "satisfaction, pleasure" is considerable and important. Therefore we have to conclude that reliable indications about possible cognates in Indo-European groups outside Germanic lack. The comparison stays between Semitic and Germanic.

 

 

 

 
"...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: 29/12/2012 at 9.31.14