E 0070          BARLEY

English " barley ", from Old English "bǽre" is of Germanic origin .

H 0263            ר ב

Concept of root : cereals

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ר ב

bar

cereals, grain

Related English words

barley, Old English bǽre

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ר ב

bar

cereals, grain

b . r

Greek

βριζα ;

βρομος, βορμος

briza ;

bromos, bormos

rye ;

oats

-

b r .

Latin

far

far

spelt

f . r

English

barley

barley

b . r

Old English

bǽre

barley

b . r

 

 

Proto-Semitic *BAR --- *BAR- Indo-European

 

 

At this point one should remark that there are many similarities between European and Hebrew with the simple two-consonant basis of "B . R". In fact, if a language has at its disposition an alphabet of about 25 different letters the maximum number of combinations amounts at 25 x 24 = 600, or perhaps more consequently 25 x 25 = 625.

 

This in confrontation with the need, already in less sophisticated societies , of many thousands of words. The problem is aggravated by the fact that each language is at the same time a way of speaking that excludes certain combinations. In Biblical Hebrew for example, we will find roots beginning with "Q . TH" or with "K . T", but not with "Q . T" or "K . TH". There are hardly any words that begin with the combination of Aleph and Q, and none with Ayin and Ghet (or Chet as the more common transcription). Such cases reduce the practical possibilities considerably.

 

This factor increases the difficulties in etymology to find convincing real similarities between different languages, simply because it increases the risk of fortuitous similarities.

 

 

Note:
  • Hebrew and European tongues show usually a difference also seen in this entry. In the verbal form that is used as the basis for the definition of Hebrew roots, there are normally three consonants with two vowels, in the order of for example "BARAQ", "BA‛AR", "KATAV".This is the third person singular of the past in the male version.

     

    In European basic words (sometimes called roots) we find more commonly one only vowel combined with three consonants. "BURN", "BRING" or "CATCH". But in reality this is to a certain extent the result of a scientific choice . Hebrew in the Bible will show for the above examples the common forms : "BAROQ", "BA‛OR", "KATOV". In Modern Hebrew this has become, like in European speaking : "BROQ", "B’OR", "KTOV". But the form with two full vowels occupies all dictionaries, just as dictionaries for Greek and Latin indicate all verbs in the form of the first person singular of the present: "laudo" etcetera.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic Proto-Semitic may well already have used this root that continued into Hebrew. It is found in Arabic "burr = grain", Soqotri bor= wheat", Mahri "ber and Hariri "berr that say "wheat". Probably the root "*ב ר, B . R " with the meaning of "grain, wheat, barley" was used in Proto-Semitic.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic In other Germanic languages one finds words with the same root and meaning. Old Frisian "ber = barley", Gothic "*barizin = made of barley" and Old Norse "barr= grain", make it probably that Proto-Germanic already had "*B A R".

 

Note:
  • Greek In the word for oats in this entry we see two different versions, "bromos" and "bormos", which makes the supposed similarity with Hebrew somewhat more probable. And, just for the record, it shows an internal Greek metathesis . There is another word "bromos" that indicates loud kinds of "noise". The original for "oats" probably had the vowel between the two consonants : "B Ŏ R-".

 

Note:
  • Latin "far", later became "farrum". The word exists in modern Italian as well , as "farro" . The Italian language has chosen for its nouns the ablative case of Latin . In words ending on "-us" or "-um" the ablative has "-o".

     

    Latin " farrum" says "spelt", a relative of wheat. Spelt was the staple grain in ancient Rome. Oddly, in the 2000’s it is becoming popular again in Italy, and is consumed in various ways. The name "far" is certainly related to the Hebrew word of this entry. Latin very frequently has an F where other tongues have a P or B. So Latin originally probably had "F Ă R-". This is further confirmed by other Italic languages as Oscan and Umbrian.

     

    Gaza once was the capital of the Philistines, or Philistinus as the Romans called them, following Greek Philistinos. They had made an F, spelled PH, out of the Hebrew " P " in the word " פ ל ש ת י ", that was pronounced "Pәlishәti". Greeks and Romans of course added a suffix "nos" or "nus".

     

    In Italian the word for " flour " still comes from this old type of grain, as "farina". Spaniards have made "harina" out of this. In Italy special quality flour is usually called " fior di farina ". The intricate ways of tongues !

 

Note:
  • Indo-European.

     

    Slavic has a hypothetical "*borshyno", but the original form must have been briefer. We see Russian "п р о с о, proso = millet" and "б о р о ш н о, boroshno = rye-flour". But in Ukrainian there is simply "б о р , bor. This is the probable basic form in Slavic : B Ŏ R-".

     

    Celtic in a word "bara = bread" uses probably the same root, in Cymric, Breton and Cornish. The basic form will have been "B Ă R-".

     

    Indo-European can be hypothesized as "B Ă R-". We see no point in supposing an initial aspired "BH", that may have been used in alternative pronunciation in local groups or by individuals, but should not be considered as a basic sound on which to build further conclusions.

 

 

 

 

 
"...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: 09/10/2012 at 16.24.09