GD 1099          SCHOTE

H 0942                 ף ט ש                

H 0942                 ט ו ש                

Concept of root : abundant waterflow

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ף ; ט ש

ף ; ט ש

ט ו ש

shathaph ;

shetheph ;

shoth

to overflow;

flood;

flood, inundation

Related English words

none

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ף ; ט ש

ף ; ט ש

ט ו ש

-

shathaph ;

shetheph ;

shoth

-

to overflow;

flood;

inundation, flood

sh . th . ph

-

sh . (o) th

-

Middle Dutch

schote

sghote

fast stream, flood

sgh . t

 

 

Proto-Semitic *SHATHAP(H) , SHOTH --- *SCHOTE Middle Dutch

 

 

We must point out that the verb "shathaph" covers various different ways in which water is abundant; to flow fast, to overflow, to inundate, to wash away. The main difference between the Hebrew and the Dutch root lies in the third consonant " P ", that is not present in Dutch. This can be seen as a diversification or specialization of meaning, as the two consonant group " SH . T ." as such already deals with the flowing of water. Hebrew has this tendency of adding third consonants also in order to facilitate the development of the language itself. An important factor certainly has been the high demands the Jewish people had for the use of the language itself.

 

An irregularity of movement can be recognized also in other roots that begin with the two consonants SH and TH . A clear example is " ש ט ה , shathà = to deviate ". The aspect of flowing of water is also found in " ש ת ה , shatà = to flow ", as is one of the translations given for Leviticus 13: 48. This verb is though also, and today esclusively, used for "to drink".

 

For the mentioned concept of "flowing" there is the noun "ש ו ט , shot = inundation, flood." This indicates a possible older root with the same spelling. Interesting is that this word shoth is much more similar to the Middle Dutch word "schote.

 

Aspects of speed and irregularity we find in the related root " ש ו ט , shot = to move fast, roam ".

 

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic . This root is found in Aramaic "ש ט ף, shethaph = it overflowed". Arabic , with "S" instead of "SH", a common phenomenon, has "sathafa = it overflowed". Akkadian "shathāpu = to overflow". This root was probably used in Proto-Semitic : "*ש ט ף , SH TH P". For the comparison we mention also the consonants "O, E" used in a participle.

     

    The ghird consonant " P " certainly had its original pronunciation " P " in Proto-Semitic, as seen in Akkadian and in several Hebrew forms. A change into " PH = F " may have begun in the old language.

 

Note:
  • English and Dutch. We may or not see this word "schote" as the same we find in English "shot" and Dutch "schot". Perhaps Dutch simply failed to, or did not feel the need to diversify as Hebrew did, and the words remained similar. Or else the origin was different and the identicity was a later result of developments, a frequent phenomenon in many tongues. For the time being we do not add other similar words without the same meaning as related.

     

    Yet we should at least mention that English "shot" is also used for "a drink" and "to shoot" for "to pour". In Dutch there is the noun "scheut" for " a shot of liquid ". A Proto-Germanic "*SKŌ-" may have existed, but is too uncertain to use in the comparison.

 

 

 

 
"...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: 07/02/2013 at 13.01.03