E 0738          RŌMŌN

The Old Saxon verb " rōmōn " is of Germanic origin .

H 0183            ם ר ע

Concept of root : shrewdness

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ם ר ע

‛aram

to be shrewd

Related English words

Old Saxon : rōmōn

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ם ר ע

‛aram

to be shrewd

‛a r m

< * r . m

Old Saxon

rōmōn

to aim at, concoct

r . m

Middle-Dutch

raem

raam

shrewd plan

  r m

 

 

Proto-Semitic *‛ARAM --- *RĀM- Proto-Germanic

 

 

This root specifies shrewd intelligence .

 


The basis of this similarity is clear, as Hebrew "*aram" has been shaped with a confirming prefix "‛A-".

 

Note:
  • Hebrew "ע ר ם ה , ‛aréma" says "intelligence, shrewdness, prudence, perfidy" ". And in the intensive form of another verb "*ramą" that has a root without initial Ayin and vowel, just as the European words of this entry, we find "ר מ ה , rimmą, that says " to deceive, beguile, betray".

     

    The basic form of this verb, "*ramą", is no more used, probably replaced by the verb of this entry, " ‛aram " that has been shaped by placing a prefix "‛A- in front of the older root "*R M". This may have taken place in two steps, the first one the adding of a vowel " A ", that would later have been indicated by a letter "Aleph", the second one by reinforcing the "Aleph" into an "Ayin".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. This root is found also in Aramaic "ע ר י ם, arim = shrewd" and Syriac "ע ר י ם, erim = shrewd" , which gives some basis for the hypothesis that it existed as such in Proto-Semitic. Hebrew uses this or rather identical roots alsofor the concepts of " to heap up, pile up", "to lay bare, uncover" and " to staunch, stop, impede". Proto-Semitic for "shrewd, crafty" may have used the root : "*ע ר ם, Ayin R M".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic. Middle Dutch "raem" and the verb" ramen", just like Hebrew, have a range of connected meanings, especially of the kind of intelligent planning and estimating. Modern Dutch in the composed verb "beramen" = contrive, concoct" clearly continues the concept of shrewd intelligence. Old High German had a verb "rāmen" For "clever, shrewd planning" Proto-Germanic may have used "* R Ā M .

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. We have no information available from outside Germanic that would allow a different hypothesis.

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 22/12/2012 at 16.57.55