E 0245            DECK ;  ÐĘC

The Old English word " ðęc " is of Germanic origin .

The word " deck " is, via Middle Dutch, of Germanic origin

H 0961              ת ח ת                   

Concept of root : below protecting covering

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ת ח ת

taghat

below, floor

Related English words

Old English " ðęc " ;

deck , from Middle Dutch

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ת ח ת

taghat

below, floor

t . gh . t <

*t . gh

Greek

τεγος

tegos

roof ; abode

t . g

Latin

tectum

tectum

roof

t . g

English

deck

deck

d . ck

Old English

ðęc

roof

d . c

Swedish

tak ;

däck

tak ;

dek

roof ;

deck

t . k ;

d . k

Norwegian

tak;

dekke

tak;

dekke

roof;

deck

t . k;

d . k

German

Dach ;

Deck

dakh

roof ;

deck

d . kh ;

d . k

Dutch

dak ;

dek

dak ;

dek

roof ;

deck

d . k

 

 

Proto-Semitic *TAGHAT < *TAGH --- *DĀK Proto-Germanic < *TĒG- Indo-European

 

 

This entry is related to number E 0229 (Hebrew 0322).

 

Abraham stood "below" the tree while the Angels ate the food he had offered them. And when Noah had to build the Ark, he was instructed to make a second and third "floor". He built a ship, and perhaps a more exact translation would be that of a second and third "deck". The concept of the root "T . GH" is that of "to cover", someone or something by something that is above him like a roof or tree. Consequently one may derive from this the idea of " to be below" and from there on also simply "below" as we see in modern Hebrew. The common origin seems clear.

 

 

Note:
  • Hebrew "taghat" is a development of an earlier root with only two consonants. We can find proof of that in the fact that there is another root with these consonants, seen in the noun for a protecting armour, " ת ח ר א , tagharą".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. The root "T GH T" is found in Aramaic "ת ח ו ת , taghut = under" and Syriac "ת ח י ת, taghit = below". Ugaritic used the same root for the same meaning. Arabic and Ethiopian "taghta" say "under, below". This root was probably in use in Proto-Semitic as "*ת ח ת , T GH T", and also still as "*ת ח , T . GH ".

 

Note:
  • Latin "tectum" is a participle of the verb "tegere", that says "to cover" and also "to protect".

 

Note:
  • Greek "tegos" is used for the roof that covers as well as the space below the roof one can stay in. In modern language a roof has had a prefix S added. This is one of those prefixes that we see frequently also in Germanic tongues and that do not change the meaning of the root of word they are added to.

 

Note:
  • Germanic. The words for "deck" seem to have been loaned all from Middle Dutch in the period the Dutch defined their Golden Age, about the 17th century, when Holland was a leading seafarer-nation. It is uncertain if English "thatch" is related to the words in this table.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic. Without a clear participation of modern English with a word for "roof" we look at Old English "ðęc = roof, covering", besides English "deck". Among older Germanic languages the first consonant is usually "TH", but then Old High German began a change with ""thecken" , but also "dah" and "decken". Then Middle Dutch and Middle Low- and High German have an initial "D", that continues in modern use. The Scandinavian languages changed into a regular "T". The closing consonant of the root is a K-sound nearly all over, though it will be spelled also "CK" , "CC"" or "C". Exceptions are Danish "tag" and German "Dach", each according to its own taste.

     

    The vowel in the nouns for "roof" is "A", mostly a short one. The verbs have a short "Č" though it may be spelled with an "A" (Swedish "täcka", Danish "tękke"). The noun "deck" in English is like its German sister "Deck" a loanword from Middle Dutch, that had "dec" besides "dac". Presumably Proto-Germanic had "*TH A K-", though it may have been "*D A K-".

 

Note:
  • Indo-European languages for the meanings of "to cover" use the combination "T/D E K/G", that often is preceded by a consonant "S". The version without that consonant " S " probably is the older one and as such was present in Indo-European. The " S " may have been added in an early stage and Indo-European may already have used two forms : "*T E G-" and "*ST E G-".

     

    Old Indian "sthagati" = to cover and related meanings as "to hide, conceal".

     

    Greek "στεγος, stegos = to cover" plus related meanings, is often considered to have had a predecessor without the initial " S ": "T Ē G-".

     

    Latin has "tego, texi, tectum" = to cover" and related meanings. Basic element is "T Ē G-".

     

    Celtic uses "T E G" and "T E CH", to indicate "house ", possibly as the covered place in which to stay.

     

    Baltic with Lithuanian "stógas" for "roof" and "stígti =to cover with a roof" and Old Prussian "stogis = roof" as well as "steege= barn" has cognates .

     

    Russian has a word стог, stog = haystack", that is seen as related to the words of this entry.

 

 

 

 
"...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: 07/12/2012 at 16.46.37