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E 0522 LANGUID
The word " languid " is, via Old French, of Lastin origin .
H 0541 ה ה
ל
Concept of root : loss
of strength
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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ה ה ל
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lahà
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to
be(come) very tired
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Related English words
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languid,
from Latin
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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 ה ל
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lahà
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to be(come)
very tired
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l . h .
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Greek
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λαγαρος
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lagaros
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weakened
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l . g .
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Latin
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langueo
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langwéo
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to be weak, tired
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l . ng .
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English
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languid
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languid
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l . ng
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Proto-Semitic *LAHÀ --- *LĂK- Indo-European
The similarity is rather obvious, if one takes into account that the H-sound in Hebrew here corresponds with the G-sound in Greek and Latin. Subsequently Latin has nasalized the root, that is it has inserted an N in front of the G . And Hebrew has doubled the consonant H, as it prefers to have three consonants in a root , to make better elaboration of forms possible .
One should not be misled by the existence of the Latin verb "laxare", which means "to loosen, let go". We find this verb again in English "to relax". It is quite possible that "laxo" and "langueo" have a common origin "*LAK/G, but their difference in meaning makes it improbable that one has been derived from the other.
Note:
- Proto-Semitic We have no information useful for a hypothesis. The root is considered related to that of entry E 0526 (Hebrew 0528), which seems right. Then the origin might be the same Proto-Semitic root found in that entry : "*ל א ה , L Aleph Hé (accentuated vowel)", but probably without the Aleph : "*ל ה ה , L H H(accentuated vowel)" .
Note:
- Indo-European . There are some indications for possible cognates.
Celtic has Old Irish "lacc = weak, slack " and Middle Cymric "lacc = slack".
Proto-Germanic. Germanic with Middle Dutch "lak = without force, languid, inert" gives an important contribution.
As often, Germanic created a version with prefix " S ", as seen in English "slack" . Also in Middle Dutch there is this version, "slac". The meanings are hardly different, with an addition of "lack of diligence". There are sister words in other languages and Proto-Germanic probably had "*L
Ă K-".
Latin in "langueo" has a LAG-", but in "laxus" a "LAK-" and that may indicate the origin. A verb "*lanqueo" would not run smoothly in Latin and a change into "langueo" would be felt as natural. So we stick to "L Ă K" as the indication for Latin.
Indo-European , with also Latin indicating "LAK-", may have had the same form "*L Ă K-", though "*L Ă G-" as in Greek can not be excluded now.
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 03/11/2012 at 18.15.42 |
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