|
E 0162 (TO) CHERISH
The verb " to cherish " is,
via Old French, of Latin origin .
H 1058 ר ק י
Concept of root : high
value
|
Hebrew word
|
pronunciation
|
English meanings
|
|
ר ק י
|
yaqar
|
precious, rare, dear, expensive
|
|
|
|
Related English words
|
to
cherish
|
|
|
Comparison between European words and
Hebrew
|
Languages
|
Words
|
Pronunciation
|
English meanings
|
Similarity in roots
|
|
Hebrew
|
ר ק י
|
yaqar
|
precious, rare, dear,
expensive
|
y . q . r <
*w .
q . r
|
|
Latin
|
carus
|
carus
|
precious, dear, expensive
|
c . r
|
|
French
|
chère
|
shèr
|
precious, dear, expensive
|
ch . r
|
|
English
|
to cherish
|
|
to cherish
|
ch . r
|
Proto-Semitic *YAQAR < *WAQAR < *QAR --- *CAR-US Latin
It is immediately clear that Latin has just two consonants, C + R , and has not adapted the initial Y found in Hebrew, nor the more original W . This implies either that the split between the communities has taken place before the introduction of the W or that Latin has abolished that W, as was done in the Greek language .
English, loaning from French, has followed what the French did so often : change the initial consonant C into CH . This is seen in well known words like " Chevalier " and " Champs Elysées " .
Note:
- Hebrew. An indication that the concept of "value" was already present in the briefer combination of two consonants only without the initial Y or W, is found in the root "
מ
כ
ר , M . K . R " that, besides the concept of "to sell, merchandise" is also used to express "value", with the implication of "high value", in figurative sense as well.
Further it is important that the root "Y Q R", just like in Latin languages, means "precious", but also "dear" in figurative sense.
Note:
- Proto-Semitic . This Hebrew root is found also in Aramaic " י ק ר, yeqar = was precious, heavy". It may have cognates in Ugaritic that uses "Y G R " and " G R T" to express "honour" , a possibly related meaning. Akkadian "aqāru = to be precious, costly". Arabic indicates "waqqara = he honoured", "waqār = dignity" and "waqara = was heavy". The heaviness expressed, possibly related, anyhow does not touch the principle of "precious" akin to Latin. Proto-Semitic probably had "* ו ק ר , W Q R" and perhaps already the newer development "* י ק ר , Y Q R". And the earlier form without prefix: "* ק ר , Q R".
Note:
- Latin. One should be careful not to confuse the concept of value, material or immaterial, with that of desiring, as is frequently done. Latin "carus" thus has nothing to do with English "whore". This is not changed by the reality that one (value) may lead to the other (desiring), as it by far not always does so. People far from desiring everything that is of value, want only things or relations that are of personal interest to them. The concepts are not one, but two, each with its need for a independent linguistic root.
Note:
- Indo-European. The opinion that Latin "carus" is related to words like "kamasutra" has impoverished research regarding the specific existing meanings of the Latin word. We have no hypothesis for an Indo-European predecessor. The comparison stays for now between Semitic and Latin.
|
|
|
| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 16/12/2012 at 17.43.01 |
|