E 1001           WICK, WICKER

H 0005          א ב ק

Concept of root : to wrap  or bend tightly

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

; ק ב א

נ א ב ק

avaq;

ne’evaq

wrap, clench;

wrestle

Related English words

wick

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

א ב ק ;

-

נ א ב ק

avaq;

ne’evaq

wrap, clench ;

wrestle

. v . q

Latin

vincire

vinkire

to wrap, bind, twine

v . nc < *v . q

English

wick;

wicker

wick;

wicker

w . k

Dutch

wikkelen

wikkelen

wrap

w . k

Middle-Dutch

wicken; wickelen  

wikken;

wikkelen

to wrestle; to wrap

w . k

 

 

Proto-Semitic *WŎQ --- *WĬK Indo-European

 

 

 

Both meanings of this root, that of to wrap or clench and that of "to wrestle" are present in Hebrew as well as in Dutch. Yet there is some difference in use. In Hebrew "to wrestle" is expressed with the passive form. That tells that the idea is in "to be clenched" by someone.
This verb is used in Genesis 32.25 to say that " a man wrestled with him ( Jacob ) until the break of dawn."

 

In Dutch the word "wikkelen" for "to wrap" is an iterative form of "wikken" . This indicates that "wicken" in Middle Dutch also had other messages. Such were "to shake, move" actions that could well have some link with that of wrestling. The difference between V and W many times is significant in English but not in all other languages. This is shown in the fact that the pronunciation of the V in Latin languages is usually between the V and W in English. Latin "vincire" has a nasalized form of the same root.

 

Note:
  • English "wick" comes from old English " weoce" that already was a specialized word for this object that is the result of the action described in the German and Dutch verbs. "Wicker", a willow-twig, has its name from its use in weaving baskets etcetera.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew. The Aleph א , at the beginning of this root has a confirming function, as can be seen from the comparison with other related roots. ח ב ק , ghawaq or ghibbèq "stands for "to embrace", something that inevitably happens in wrestling. " ח ו ג , ghawag or ghiwwèg" means "to (make a) circle" respectively "to make turn". Therefore it may be presumed that the combination "B . Q" or " W . Q" as such carried in older language the meanings of wrapping around and, clenching .

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. We have limited information from other languages . It is interesting to note that this root or an identical one means "dust". This had led to reasonings that link the two concepts. So a hypothetical "to get dusty" (through wrestling) would have become "to wrestle". We doubt this .

     

    In the group of three Hebrew roots "GH B Q" has cognates in Ugaritic, Aramaic and Syriac. and "GH W G" in Aramaic and Syriac". Also our "Aleph B Q" has cognates in Aramaic. A hypothesis for a Proto-Semitic two consonant root "*B . Q" or "*W . Q" is possible. A form "*WOQ" for " to wrap" may have existed. An intensive form of this might then have been similar in vowel to English "wick".

 

Note:
  • Latin "vincere, vinxi, vinctum, vincĪre" is considered having an original "*viqi-" which would take it some nearer to the Hebrew root. We note that Latin has as well a verb "vieo, viēre = to wind, plait".

 

Note:
  • Indo-European.

     

    Old Indian has vi-vyakti = to enclose, embrace" that is considered related. Further is "vyayati = he wraps", but this lacks the "K", like Latin "vieo. On the basis of Latin and Germanic a hypothesis for an Indo-European "*W Ĭ K-" can be made for the meaning "to wrap".

 

 

 

 

 
"...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: 21/12/2012 at 9.52.06