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GD 1106 STEIL
H 0965 ל ו ל ת , ה
ל ת
Concept of root : steep and hanging
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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ה ל ת ;
ל ו ל ת
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talà ;
talul
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to hang
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steep
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Related English words
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Talus
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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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ה ל ת ;
ל ו ל ת
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talà;
talul
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to hang ;
steep
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t . l . ;
t . l . l
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French
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talus
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talü
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steep slope
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t . l .
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German
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steil
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sht(ei)l
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steep
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st . l
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Dutch
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steil
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steil
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steep
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st . l
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Proto-Semitic *TAL'À --- *TALU Old French
"Steep" and "to hang" are concepts that at times are used on the basis of one root. A direct example is in English the noun "hang" for a steep slope, with the same root as the verb "to hang". Such a kind of combination we find in this Hebrew root on the basis of the two consonants "T L", also with the second one doubled : "T L L". In German and Dutch an initial S is added without a change of meaning. Such a neutral prefix is very common in Germanic usage.
Note:
- French "talus" is mostly used for small steep slopes, like those we find along roadsides. The verb "taluter" stands for " making a steep slope". In Old French there was "talu = slope", without a final " S ". There are different views on its origin. Some refer to Latin "talus = ankle", but it is hard to invent a semantic road of development for this supposition. The other idea recalls a Latin word "talutium" that meant a "external sign of the presence of gold below the surface ". Such a word at the utmost would be related, through its first part, "talu-", and the steepness nor the characteristics of a slope are seen in it. A Gaul word "tal = forehead" is called as help, because human foreheads normally are steep.
There is no clear etymology and a hypothesis is far off.
Note:
- German and Dutch "steil" (steep) are considered a condensed version of "steigel" with the same meaning, found in Old and Middle High German. The word "steigel" is seen as related to the verb "steigen ( Dutch "stijgen")" that is "to climb". But in older Low German and Middle Dutch the word is already "steil", and we see as probable that in High German the form "steigel" was invented under influence of the verb "stijgen" . In fact in that sense we also find Middle Dutch "steigher" for "steep".
It is of course quite possible that two roots, one "ST G L" and one "ST G R" exist parallel with the same meaning. But the uncertainty is too great to venture a hypothesis for Proto-Germanic without a central " G ".
Note:
- Old English has two interesting words. One is "wiðerstæger = steep". The first part means "against" and stæger is found with the meaning of "stairs, staircase", but also simply as a synonym of the second word we aimed at : "stægel = steep". This confirms the situation in the previous note.
Note:
- English. It is possible but quite uncertain that the English verb "to tilt" is related to the words of this entry. It has the meaning of "inclined, sloping" but not necessarily that of "to be steep".
Note:
- Proto-Semitic and Hebrew. The words of this entry are related to the root "T : L ", with the word " tel = hill", found in the name of Tel Aviv. This same root was used in Proto-Semitic " * T . L ", though the word for "hill" not necessarily had a vowel E. This may have been as well an " I " as in Akkadian sillū and in Arabic "till" .
The root of this entry is seen in Aramaic and Syriac "* ת ל א, tel'à = he hung up, suspended". Arabic talla = to dangle" and Akkadian tullū = to hang up" are related. This root probably was in use in Proto-Semitic : "*ת ל א , T L Aleph".
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 10/12/2012 at 16.44.20 |
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