E 0222          CURVE

The word " curve " is of Latin origin .

H 0748            ר ע ק

Concept of root : to curve

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ר ע ק

ר ו ר י ע ק

qi‛èr;

qa‛arurì

to curve, hollow out;

curved, bent, concave

Related English words

curve

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ר ע ק

-

ר ו ר י ע ק

-

qi‛èr

-

qa‛arurì

-

to curve, hollow out;

curved, bent, concave

q (‛) r

Greek

κυρτος;

κορωνος

kürtos;

koronos

curved

k (u) r;

k (o) r

Latin

curvare

curvare

to curve

c (u) r v

English

to curve

to curve

c (u) r v

 

 

Hebrew QI‛UR < Proto-Semitic *QA‛AR --- *KŪRW- < *KŪR- Indo-European

 

 

This Hebrew root is also used to form words for rounded, concave-shaped objects, such as dishes to keep liquids or pans with elevated sides. It deals with hollowing out, curving in general and concave curving in particular. The verbal form "ק ע ר, Q Ayin R, qo‛ar = was hollowed out, was concave" is found in Medieval Hebrew, our "qi‛èr" is modern Hebrew, but probably has been used earlier, as we find "ק ע ו ר , qi‛ur = concavity" in the Middle Ages. In the written texts of the Bible we find more nominal forms.

 

The noun "ק ע ר ה , "qe‛arà = bowl, basin". The adjective " ק ע ר ו ר י , qa‛arurì = curved, bent, concave" . This is especially interesting as it has practiced a doubling of a consonant, here the "R", a development that is more often seen in Greek . It must be remarked that while Hebrew "qi‛èr" points more at concave, Greek "kűrtos" indicates more "convex curving" , while "koronos" is general.

 

 

Note:
  • Greek "kürtos" has led to other words, but does not as such show its origin. The supposed root is "(s)ker)" , an idea based also on the existence of the word "κορωνος , koronos" that also expressed the meaning of "curved". and is related to English "crown". Both the T in "kürtos" and the N in "koronos" are not part of the root.

 

Note:
  • Latin and Hebrew. Latin "curvare" has also a V that we do not find in Hebrew. But in Hebrew there are two more three consonant roots , that begin with "Q R" : " ק ר ס , qaras = to curve (intr)" that is certainly related, and " ק ר ן , qeren = horn" that is related to Latin "cornu", considered by many to be akin to "curvare", the verb of this entry.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. This root indicating various curved objects, is seen in Syriac "ם ק ע ר, meqa‛ar = concave", Nabatean and Arabic. The word "qa‛ar" in Arabic indicates various things, among which the typically curved things that are the keel of a ship and a deep bowl. This root may have been in use in Proto-Semitic : "*ק ע ר, Q Ayin R".

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. There are many words that indicate actions or results related to "to curve" and also have some similarity in roots. An example is German "krumm = curved, bent", that goes back to Old High German "chrumb", sister of Old English "crumb". Another one is Dutch "Kring = circle". One may see a metathesis between these words and "curve" of this entry.

     

    Old Indian seems to have had a metathesis between "R" and "U" in nasalized "krungkati = to curve". This word is a cognate of English "crooked", in which there are two K-sounds, as it seems through a doubling.

     

    Celtic offers Middle Irish "cur, acc. curu = circle", that is nearer to Latin.

     

    Albanian for "to bend, curve" uses a root "K . R" with different vowels, among which "U", in "kurú".

     

    Russian for "curved" used a word "кривой, kriwoj" and "круг, krug" stands for "circle, ring, round". Also here the "R" comes first, the "I" or "U" after it.

     

     

    Indo-European, with a number of variations of roots for different related meanings, all with K R in them, probably had among those a form "*K Ū R W-", out of an older "*K Ū R-", for the message of "to curve".

 

 

 

 
"...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: 30/12/2012 at 10.37.45