E 0060          AUTO-

"Auto-" the first part of many English words, is of Greek origin.

H 0089           א ו ת ו

Concept of root: him, the same

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

א ו ת ו

oto

that, same, him, it

Related English words

auto-  from Greek

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

א ו ת ו

oto

that, same, him, it

o t o

Greek

αυτος,

-ον, αυτο

autos,

 auto

self, same, him, it

au t o

 

 

Proto-Semitic *OT --- *AUT-(OS) Greek

 

 

A difference lies between Greek "AU" and Hebrew "O" . Never mind that the French pronounce "AU" like "O". To compare the spelling we may remind ourselves that the Greek "alpha" (like European "A" in general) stands for a vowel that begins with the position of the human mouth in exactly the same as is specified by the Hebrew "aleph". Both spellings in fact try to write comparable things : "the position of the mouth in preparation of a vowel + that vowel itself". But the Greeks write only the vowel that is to be pronounced. The Hebrews only the "consonant" itself. Some confusion is inevitable, because the Jews did not write vowels and the Greeks decided, luckily, to write vowels as well.

 

 

Note:
  • Modern Greek has changed the pronunciation. They say "aftos". They use the word currently for "he".

 

Note:
  • Hebrew and Greek. Hebrew "oto" and "ota" indicate accusative forms like "him, her", as especially in Modern Greek, but they also refer to "that" and "the same". The similarity in meanings and sounds is thus that a common origin can be supposed.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. The first part of the Hebrew word is seen as related to the word "et" of entry E 0490 (Hebrew 0075) and it is certainly related to it . The second indicates the person. Just as in Greek "autos, autè, auto" , in Hebrew we find " otò, otà". So in fact that first part "ot-" is related to Greek "aut-" . Just as "et" must have been present in Proto-Semitic, one may presume that "ot-" existed: א ו ת .

 

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: Monday 9 July 2012 at 12.52.16