E 0305         ETERNAL, ETERNE

The words "eternal" and "eterne (archaic)"

come from Old French and are of Latin origin

 H 0078        א ת ן

Concept of root: lasting

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

א ת ן

etan

perpetual, lasting

Related English words

eternal

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

א ת ן

etan

perpetual, lasting

e t n

Greek

ετος

etos

year, years,

long time

e t

Latin

aetas

aetas

long time

ae t

English

eternal

eternal

e t

 

 

Proto-Semitic *WATAN --- *WET- Indo-European

 

 

This Hebrew word has been derived from a root " י ת ן, Y. T . N " that carries the meaning of "to be permanent". Our word is specially used also to indicate an everflowing river. This entry should be read in connection with number E 0306 (Hebrew 0112) .The similarity is based on the fact that Greek and Hebrew have the same root "E T", which means "time" and is used for the composition of more words that incorporate a concept of time. In entry E 0306 (Hebrew 0112), Hebrew shows a different dental , a D. This means that Hebrew has had two different developments of an old root . With that the comparison acquires also a different aspect. The Greek word "etos" in dialect was as well pronounced "wetos" and is considered to have been indeed "wétos". And a Hebrew " ע ו ד, Ayin W D, ‛od" has the "O = W " in common with "wétos".

 

Note:
  • Aevus. Various, perhaps most scholars see a link between our present root and Latin "aevus", meaning "unlimited time, duration (also of life) , age, eve". They see "aetas" as a contraction of "aevitas". Undoubtedly both roots are very near each other. But the existence of the Greek and Hebrew roots "E T", tells that there may be two roots with comparable meanings, those of forms of "long duration".

     

    The supposed contraction of Latin "aevitas" into "aetas" may also in reality be a flowing together of the two words. The same possibility we see for Latin "aeternum". This word, that has led to English "eternal", may or may not have been contracted from a word "*aeviternum" of which no proof seems to exist at all.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew has another word, " א י ת ן , (eitan)", that also says "perpetual, perennual" and in Modern Hebrew has acquired the meaning of solidity and strength.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic . A letter "Yod",י " at the beginning of a word or root in Hebrew, quite frequently has developed out of an earlier letter "Waw", ו. It is therefore interesting to see the Arabic words "watana = was perpetual" and "wātin = permanent". They justify a hypothesis of a Proto-Semitic root "* ו ת ן, Waw Tav Nun, W . T . N" . And as in other cases, besides an initial " Waw" and later "Yod", also a first letter Aleph may already have existed: " * א ת ן, Aleph. Tav, Nun ".
.

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. The existing hypothesis of "*W E T-" seems right, with the meaning of "long duration" and related messages.

     

    Latin "vetus, gen. veteris = old", and this in many senses. This word is considered a cognate of Greek "etos, *wetos", though the meanings are far from identical. Then "vetus" has cognates in Balto-Slavic with the meaning of "old". "Etos, *vetos" has cognates in other Indo-European languages. The relation between the Latin adjective "vetus" and the Greek noun "etos" remains uncertain.

     

    Old Indian "vatsá-, vatsará = year". The identical word "vatsá =calf" seems to be fully unrelated.

     

    Hittite "witis = year".

     

    Albanian "vjet = year".

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 26/09/2012 at 17.07.44