E 1003          WILL

The word " will " is of Germanic origin .

H 1033            ל א י                     

Concept of root : to want and decide

 Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ל א י

*ya’al

to decide to, want

Related English words

will ; Old English : wiljan

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ל א י

ל א י ו

*ya’al; *yo’el

to decide to , to want; deciding to, wanting

y . (‘) . l <

*w . (‛) . l

Latin

velle  ;

(volo)

velle ;

volo

to want, choose, decide

( I  want... )

v . l

German

wollen ;

wählen

wollen ;

wélen

to want ;

to choose

w . l

Old English

wiljan

to want

w . lj

English

will

will

w . l

Dutch

willen

wǐllen

to want

w . l

Old High German

wellen

wellen

to want, choose

w . l

Old Norse

vilja ;

velja

wilya ;

welya

to want ;

to choose

w . lj

 

 

Proto-Semitic *YA'AL < WA'AL, WI'ÈL --- *WĬL- Indo-European

 

 

This entry shows us one of the many roots that in Hebrew begin with a Yod and in other languages with a " W ". In fact the initial letter " W " of ancient Hebrew roots has nearly always changed into a Yod.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew. The standard version of the verb is out of use, and its meaning has to be deducted from composed verbs with the same root. The passive form of the causative verb with this root, that is , " ה ו א י ל , hu’il", means "to consent, be willing, agree". This can be explained as "to be made to decide / want ". It is used to express the decision of Moses to live in Midian at the property of Ithrò who was to become his father in law. This decision is in the tris of "want – decide – agree" The meaning of the causative obliges to choose for "to decide to do as one wants", or briefer "to want and decide".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic . We have no specific information that would allow a solid hypothesis for a Proto-Semitic root "* ו א ל , W Aleph L", but we consider it probable as a natural predecessor of the Hebrew root " י א ל , Y Aleph L". We add the intensive form of the verb as it may have been in use in Proto-Semitic, especially to express the version "to want, will", with vowels near the use in Indo-European tongues.

 

Note:
  • Latin and Germanic. We see various vowels used, and considering the similarity with Hebrew this could be expected. The ancient Hebrew sound, for which the letter "WAW" is used, could develop into "WO" but as well "WI" or "Y". The words in the various languages in fact have variations of this kind.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew and English. An English "will" holds a "decision" the deceased had made. Also the use of the verb "to will" is a bit further from " to want" and towards things decided, as in "He will do so". This development is the same as ancient Hebrew seems to have passed through. This is also seen in the word "willful".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic . The Germanic sister verbs of "to will" nearly invariably use a vowel "I", that can be long or short. We mention Gothic "wiljan", Old Norse "vilja, Old English "willan" . The principal exception, besides Frisian "wolle", is German "wollen", after Old High German already used "wellen" and "wollen". But in the noun the vowel " I" was maintained : "Wille". There exist related verbs like German "wählen = to choose", after Old High German "wellan", that has sisters in Gothic "waljan", Old Norse "velja" and Swedish "välja". These verbs have a common origin with the words of this entry and possibly are a diversification. They do not justify a supposition of vowel "E" or "A" for Proto-Germanic for the meaning "(to) will". Probably Proto Germanic had "*W Ĭ L-". But this may have developed either out of an older "*W Ŏ L-" or together with it, as the vowels that are used in different verbal forms.

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. Also here we see various vowels used, and again, considering the similarity with Hebrew this could be expected. AS already noted, the ancient Hebrew WAW could develop into "WO" but as well "WI" or "Y". The words in the various languages in fact have variations of this kind.

     

    Latin indeed has in the present tense singular "volo, vis, vult" and also "velim (conj.)" and in the infinitive "velle". The indication is an original "V Ō L-.

     

    Old Indian in the root at the origin of the words of this entry, has abandoned the second consonant "L" for an "Ŗ". There are many forms without a vowel in the root-part and the "Ŗ" has the function of a vowel. It is then followed , as it seems necessarily, by a consonant, an " N " as in "vŗnāti = chooses, wishes", unless the suffix itself begins with a consonant, as in "vŗtá- = to choose, ask, request (i.e. "want")". In other forms the "R" is an ordinary consonant and the vowel "A" is seen; as in "vará- = choosing".

     

    The change , away from the "L" as the second consonant, is to be considered as a typical Old Indian and Avestan development and the indication for the origin remains "V + vowel + L".

     

    Avestan with exactly the meanings of "to want" and "to choose" uses a root in which the "L" has been substituted by an " R ". A vowel "A" is used in "var-", but in forms where the accent shifts, this vowel becomes a dull "E". As just stated for Old Indian, the indication for the origin remains "V + vowel + L".

     

    Slavic. Old Church Slavonic has the forms "voljo, voliti" for a verb saying "to want" and "volja = want, wish". This last word has remained as such in Russian: "воля, volja = will, wish, freedom". The third meaning, "freedom", is a specific use, not based on a different root. Further there is a meaning of "to order, bid, recommend", but also " to command" that has conquered what might have been the verb for "to want, choose", and that is "велеть, weletj" . The basic indication is "W Ŏ L-".

     

    Russian further expresses the concept of "to want, wish", with a somewhat different, but probably related verb, that has a cognate in Greek " θελω thelo" : "желать zjelatj".

     

    Greek likes complicated developments. Greek scholars present an original "*W E L-" that became "*W E LD-" and then the existing "E E LD-" and the shortened newer "E LD-". This is indeed convincing and the existing verbs , the last one being "ελδομαι, eldomai, have a developed meaning of "to wish, desire, aspire". The more standard concept of "to want" is expressed by the verb "εθελω, ethelo" or "θελω thelo". The initial "TH" of this verb is considered to have developed out of an earlier "*PH", but without a sufficiently convincing explanation.

     

    Indo-European probably had "*W Ŏ L-" as well as "*W Ĭ L-" and "*W Ĕ L-".

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 04/01/2013 at 17.14.07