GR 1173            ERMAX

H 0185           ה מ ר ע

Concept : heap

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ה מ ר ע

‛aremà

mucchio

Related English words

none

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ה מ ר ע

‛aremà

mucchio

‛a r m

Greek

ερμαξ

hermax

mucchio

 e r m

 

 

Proto-Semitic *‛AREMA --- *HERMA-X Greek

 

 

This entry shows one of many relatively isolated but also very clear similarities between Classic Greek and Hebrew. And like many others, modern Greek has forgotten this word.

 

Note:
  • Greek. There is no clear etymology for this Greek word, though it is considered related to the word "ερμα, herma = support, rock, stone", but also "burden" and "snare, noose". Semantically only "stone" makes sense in this case, seeing "hermax" as " a heap of stones". Greek scholars indicate for "herma" a development out of a hypothetical root "*wers-" that would have carried the meaning of "height, elevation, summit". His is not very convincing either.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew. This noun is based on the verb "ע ר ם, Ayin R M" that says "to heap up, pile up".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. The same root is found also in Aramaic and Syriac that are near to Hebrew, as well as in Arabic ‛aramà = heap". It may also have a cognate in Akkadian arammu" that stands for a "siege dyke". It was probably present also in Proto-Semitic : *"ע ר ם, Ayin R M" .

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. We have no information outside Greek and no different hypothesis can be made.

 

 

 

 
"...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: Monday 9 July 2012 at 13.17.35