E 0825          SINGE

The verb " to singe " is of Germanic origin .

H 1078           ה ק ז *                      

Concept of root :  to singe

 Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ה ק ז *

zaqà ;

ziqqè

to make burn ;

to singe

Related English words

 to singe

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ה ק ז *

*zaqà ;

*ziqqè

to make burn ;

to singe

* z . q .

English

to singe

to singe

s . ng

Dutch

zengen

zèngen

to singe, scorch

z . ng

 

 

Hebrew *ZIQQÉ --- *SÈNG- Proto-Germanic < *SĬK- Indo-European

 

 

The roots of English and sisters have a nasalized G ( NG ), as frequently occurs . Hebrew does not have this N in front of the Q, but some Slavic roots without the Germanic nasalization might be related, like Russian "сухой , sukhoy ", that means " dry, withered ". This same meaning is also found in Middle High German "senge" . Apparently in this supposition the use of this root would cover a range of effects of burning heat. This remains uncertain if not dubious.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew. This root has mostly disappeared , already in Biblical times, but was found in the word " ז י ק , ziq " for "spark" and in " ז ק ה , ziqà " for spark or sparkle. Biblical Hebrew then has two versions for "fiery darts": " ז י ק , ziq", plural " ז י ק י ם , ziqqim and "ז ק ה , ziqà", plural "ז י ק ו ת, ziqot". Such darts make burns or singe what they hit.

     

    Post Biblical Hebrew calls a comet a "zikà" and Modern Hebrew, besides "ziq" for "spark", still uses "ziqà" for "fiery dart". Today the root is used to define "fireworks" in the plural "ziqquqim dinur ".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic . There is some evidence from other Semitic languages to support a hypothesis of "* ז י ק , Z Y Q". Aramaic and Syriac use "ז י ק ת א , ziqt'à = lighting", that seems related. Then Akkadian has "zikāti = sparks", which confirms the Hebrew position.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic . Older Germanic languages used this root: Old English "sengan", Old Frisian "senga", Middle High and Low German "sengen"and Middle Dutch "senghen, singhen" . In Nordic there are related words especially in dialects and Icelandic still has "sangur" for "scorched". Proto-Germanic probably had an already nasalized form "*S È NG-".

 

Note:
  • Indo-European . We quote the proposed Indo-European words for "to dry, wither", maintaining the doubt about their being actually related to Proro-Germanic "*S È NG-".

     

    "Old Church Slavonic "sočiti = to dry" and abovementioned Russian "сухой , sukhoy ", that means " dry, withered " are considered cognates. Thus Indo-European may have had a form "*S Ĭ K-", found again also in Latin "siccus = dry".

     

    This is then further confirmed in nasalized forms in Old Indian "siñcáti = to dry" and Avestan "hinčaiti = to dry". In this last word the initial " S " has become a " H ", as so often has been the case also in Greek.

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 20/12/2012 at 11.28.44