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E 0550 LUNAR
The word " lunar " is of Latin origin .
H 0539 ה נ
ב
ל
Concept of root : moon
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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ה נ ב ל
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lewanŕ
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moon
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Related English words
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lunar
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Comparison between European words and Hebrew
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Languages
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Words
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Pronunciation
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English meanings
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Similarity in roots
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Hebrew
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ה נ ב ל
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lewanŕ
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moon
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l . b . n
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Latin
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luna
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luna
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moon
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l (u) n
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Old Slavic
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luna
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luna
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moon
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l (u) n
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Russian
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луна
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luna
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moon
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l (u) n
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English
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lunar
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lunar
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l (u) n
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Hebrew LEWANA < Proto-Semitic *LABAN --- *LUN- A Indo-European
We find here the Hebrew B, pronounced as W, corresponding with the Latin and Slavic U. That W and U correspond is nothing special, and it is seen all over the place. But the Hebrew spelling is with B and only the pronunciation is W. The word for moon is bsed on "LABAN, lawan" = white, in which the "B" is pronounced as " W ", but was originally indeed " B ".
Naturally we do not know the chronological development. From when did the sound B within a word soften into W ? Is it then specifically for the moon that an early change into " W " and even " Ū " took place ? This seems so and is also understandable seen the special meaning this celestial body had for people. And then, when did those European languages and Semitic separate ?
Note:
- Greek "σεληνη , selčnč " = moon, has nothing to do with "luna", as it has been derived from a quite different root, "σελ , sel ". It literally means "the shining one".
Note:
- Lux, light. Latin "luna" and its Slavic sisters are considered to come from Indo-European "*leuk", that must have led to Latin "lux" and Germanic "licht" or "light". The common origin seems certain in a two-consonant root "*L W" or "*L V", but the two words have taken different consonants in the third position, with "luna" choosing the N we also find in Hebrew and "lux" and "light" the K/G-sound they have.
The reason why the Indo-European root should have had an "E" in it, should simply be hat Greek has
"leukos" for "white", with an "E" in it. But that "E" is not part of the root but just a vowel for pronunciation. So the root would still be "L V K". And "luna" never has been "leuksna" as some scholars think.
Note:
- Indo-European. Outside Latin we find a couple of loanwords, like German "Laune" after Middle High German "lūne", for "mood", as here was a widespread belief that the moon influenced people's mood . Modern Italian still uses "luna" in this sense of "mood".
Celtic has a Middle Irish "luan, lōn" for "light, moon.
Baltic gives Old Prussian "lauxnos", a world in plural for "stars, constellation"
Armenian "lusin = moon".
Indo-European may have used the clear and uncomplicated form "*L U N A", just as present in various groups.
Note:
- Proto-Semitic. Cognates of this Hebrew root are found in words in Arabic " lubna " and Ethiopian "leben", that stand for "birch", or "the white tree". The root may well have been used in Proto-Semitic : ל ב ן , L B N".
The original pronunciation " B " of the middle consonant must have been present in Proto-Semitic.
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 25/01/2013 at 17.11.48 |
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