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E 0631 ON , AN ,
ANA-
The words "on" and Old English "an" and " on"are of Germanic origin ..
The first wordpart " ana-" is
of Greek origin .
H 0042 א נ א , א נ ה
Concept of root : up
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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א נ א ,
א נ ה
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ann’à ,
annà
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up
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Related English words
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on ,
upon, ana-, Old English an
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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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א נ א ,
א נ ה
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ann’à
annà
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up
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a n a
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Greek
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ανά
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anà
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on, up
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a n a
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Gothic
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ana
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ana
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on
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a n a
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Old High German
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ana
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ana
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on
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a n a
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English
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on, upon ;
ana-
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on, upon ;
ana-
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o n ;
a n a
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Old English
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an, on
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on
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a n
o n
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Old Saxon
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ana,
an
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ana,
an
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on
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a n a
a n
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Proto-Semitic *AN- --- *AN- Indo-European
In Hebrew "annà" was used especially as an exhortation,
like "up with your spirit", "come on! " (in modern language the message has become "please"). This
figurative use of the concept "up" is found in Greek "anà" as
well. As usual this makes people think it is a loanword from Greek, notwithstanding the words are Biblical, too old to have been loaned. And also disregardinh the existing absolutely Hebrew use with doubled consonant "NN" as
an exhortation in the Bible and the existence of the preposition anyhow with various meanings. It is quite possible that with the specific meaning "up, upon" it did not appear in the written texts but existed all the same, as with the meaning of exhortation.
Possibly its use has been further influenced later also by Greek practice.
Besides this "an(a)" is in Greek used for an endless number of composed verbs, of which many
have travelled also into English. Analogy, analysis are just two examples.
"Anarchy" does not belong to this group, as it has been formed with
a different praefix "an+arkhia" saying
"without government".
Note:
- English, since Middle English , uses the combined word "upon", perhaps
following herewith a
Norwegian example. The first part, in the forms "up,
auf " etcetera is used in other
Germanic tongues to say " upon" .
Note:
- Hebrew. Hebrew has also the words "an" and "ana" ( with single N ) that mean " where, whence ". These have a sisterword in an Arabic "annay". They are clearly distinct from "annà" with the double "NN".
Note:
- Proto-Semitic. We have insufficient direct indications from other Semitic languages for a solid hypothesis. Yet it should be mentioned that Aramaic has a verb " א נ א , anà ", that means "to put on" and also "to put down", which is always on something. A Proto-Semitic "* א ן , an" may have existed.
Note:
- Indo-European.
Russian has а н, an = up, upon". This is also found in other languages and Slavic had "A N".
Avestan uses "ana" as a preposition for various meanings, among which "on, upon". Old Persian also used it as "anā"
Greek "ana" = on, upon" has already been mentioned.
Latin "an, anne" has various uses, like "or, if, " and among those also that of "on" in composed words.
Indo-European probably had "A N (A)" in the sense of "on, upon".
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 24/09/2012 at 17.53.54 |
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