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E 0718 (TO) REEK
The verb " to reek " is of Germanic origin .
H 0843 ח י ר
Concept of root : to
smell
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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ח י ר
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reyagh
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odour,
smell
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Related English words
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to reek
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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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ח י ר
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reyagh
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odour, smell
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r . y . gh
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Old English
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reocan
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to smell
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r . (o) c
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English
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to reek
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to reek
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r . k
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German
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riechen
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rikhen
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to smell
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r (i) kh
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Dutch
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rieken, ruiken
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riken, r(ui)ken
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to smell
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r (i) k,
r (ui) k
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Proto-Semitic *RIAGH --- *RĪK- Proto-Germanic
The Hebrew word, a noun, is an old one, the basic verb "*rayagh" is out of use, and only a causative form "heriagh = to smell, disperse odour" seems to be still regularly used. It has transitive and intransitive meaning, just like the other words of this entry.
Note:
- Germanic and Hebrew. One can see a group of concepts that way back into history had a common origin. These are "smell", "breath", "vapour," and "smoke". We see them use comparable roots, all with an R and a GH, G or K, with inbetween O, U or I.
The concepts as such are comparable, because from "breath, respiring" they travel to "smell one respires" and "vapour, smoke" that arrive at the nose and are respired as well.
This case is interesting regarding the aspect of development of languages as well as regarding the kinship between Hebrew and Germanic.
Note:
- Proto-Semitic. This root is present in Aramaic and Syriac "ר י ח א, reghà = smell, odor, scent". Arabic has "righ" and there is a cognate in Ethiopian "reghé" with the same meanings. It was probably in use in Proto-Semitic as "*ר י ח , R Y GH" or possibly in a preceding form " * ר ו ח , R W GH".
Note:
- Proto-Germanic.There is perhaps some confusion between the concepts of "to smoke" and "to smell", that in for example Old English are expressed by "rēocan". Old English also had "riecan" and rēcan", that are seen as identical in meaning. This may have been different earlier, one may suppose. But also Old High German had "riohhan" for both meanings. In other languages there are often clear differences, as in German "rauchen = to smoke" and "riechen = to smell, reek", as well as in Dutch "roken = to smoke" and "ruiken, rieken = to smell, reek". Middle Dutch distinguishes clearly between a group "roken, roochen = to smoke, make vapour" and "ruken, ruycken, rueken, rieken = to smell ( transitive and intransitive). The nouns are "rooc = smoke, vapour" and "reuke, rueke, roke = smell". And as so often Middle Dutch may open the door to history. In modern Dutch than there is a neat difference between the two remaing forms. "Ruiken" is what the nose does, "rieken" is "creating the smell".
Proto-Germanic probably has distinguished between the two concepts of "smoke" and "smell", and for that of "to smell" may well have used a form "*R Ī K-".
Note:
- Indo-European. As so often is the case, the similarity is seen between Semitic and Germanic, and cognates in other branches of Indo-European seem not to be found.
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 27/11/2012 at 13.08.39 |
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