E 0777          SCOW

The word " scow " is, via Middle Dutch, of Germanic origin .

H 0956               ה י כ ש , ט י ש                  

Concept of root : navigation

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ט ; י ש 

ט ; ו ש 

ה י כ ש

sháth;

shoth;

sәkh́a

navigation ;

to row, to swim ;

boat

Related English words

scow

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ט ; י ש 

ט ; ו ש 

ה י כ ש

sháth ; shoth ;

sәkh́a

navigation ;

to row, to swim ;

boat

sh . y . th ;

sh . o . th ;

s . kh .y

Old Norse

skuta

skǖta

boat

s k (ǖ) t

English

scow

boat

s c (ow)

Middle Dutch

scouwe, scoude , schute

sk(ou)we,

sk(ou)de;

skhǖte

boat

s c (ou ) w;

s c (ou) d ;

s kh (ǖ) t

 

 

Hebrew SHAÍT, SHOTH --- *SKÜT- Proto-Germanic

Hebrew SĔKHIÀ --- *SKŌW- Proto-Germanic

 

 

We see two Hebrew roots that are not identical. And the Germanic words have some similarity with both of them. The peculiar thing is that we find both in Hebrew and in Germanic, specifically Dutch, two versions of roots and two versions of similarity. In particular with or without dental. And in Old Norse we find the root with final dental, but in English without it.

 

The situation of this entry is not easy to explain, but that there is similarity in these words around the concepts of ships and navigation is evident. Common origin is quite possible, but difficult to define.

 

Understandably, "shaith" as "navigation" , in Biblical times one can also seen translated as "the rowing" , in fact the proceeding with a ship .

 

Note:
  • Hebrew uses this word "shát" also in " כ ל י ש י ט , kaĺsháth " for "ship, boat". And a "flotilla" is a " ש י ט ת , shayéthet". A "kaĺ" is a tool . Thus we see here a "sailing-tool".

     

    Remarkable is the difference in Hebrew between " SH" in "shát" and "S KH" in "sәkhià". We know that Hebrew SH frequently corresponds with the various Germanic forms as "SH, SK and SCH". But in this case we find two separate letters, with an in between vowel, also in Hebrew.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew . Hebrew has various identical roots "ש ה ט, SH W T shuth". The resulting words are:

     

    "shoth = to turn aside, move aside"

     

    "shoth = to go about, rove, wander"

     

    "shoth = to row, to swim ( move via water)"

     

    "shoth = to treat with despite"

     

    "shoth = inundation"

     

    "shoth = whip.scourge"

     

    In this entry the third meaning, that of moving on or in water, is seen. Some see this meaning as one with that of "to go about".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic . For the word " sekhià = ship" we have found no evidence that would allow us a hypothesis for Proto-Semitic. For roots like "SH W TH" ; "SH Y TH" and " SH TH" in the sense of this entry there is also very little conclusive information outside Hebrew and a solid hypothesis is not feasible at this point.

 

Note:
  • English and Dutch. A scow is a large flat-bottomed boat , often with square ends. This type of vessel is also in modern Dutch defined with the word "schuit", though this word can be and is definitely used in some way for many kinds of boats. In Middle Dutch the two words "scouwe" and "scoude" were open boats, often for the transportation of freight, more or less like American English "scow", that was loaned from Dutch.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic .The abovementioned name for "ship, boat" with final dental is seen in older languages as follows. Old Norse "skuta", Middle Dutch "scute", Middle Low German "schute" . Proto-Germanic may have used a form "*SK Ü T-".

     

    Without a final dental "T" there was an elaboration of the "W" sound in "OUW", and a second version with a voiced dental "D" developed out of that. Proto-Germanic probably did not yet have that version, but still "*SK Ō W".

 

Note:
  • Indo-European . We have found no link to cognates in other Indo-European branches. The comparison remains with Germanic.

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 02/01/2013 at 16.15.34