E 0545       LOOP , EVOLVE

The word " loop " is of unknown origin .

H 0557          ת א ל ל ; ם י ל ו ל

Concept of root : winding

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ם י ל ו ל;

ת א ל ל

lulim;

lula’ot

spiral staircase;

loop

Related English words

loop

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ם י ל ו ל;

-

ת א ל ל

      lulim;

      -

lula’ot

spiral staircase;

loop

l w l

Greek

ειλημα

eilèma

spiral, winding

*F . l (u)

Latin

volvere;

-

volutare

volvere;

-

volutare

to wind, turn;

to revolve

v . l v;

v . l (u)

English

loop

loop

l (o) p

 

 

Proto-Semitic *LŪWÀ --- *WŪLŪ- Indo-European

 

 

The Greek as well as the Post Biblical word "lulion" and the modern Hebrew word of this entry carry the message of movements that spiral, go round or wind. Both have to be looked into a bit further to see the similarity. A special nice development of this root we find in the Hebrew word " ל ו ל י ן , lulyan ", that stands for "acrobat", he who winds himself .

 

 

Note:
  • Greek has a number of words that are based on the same hypothetical, but rather certain root we indicate here. We have given the noun "eilèma" on the basis of the specific meaning of "spiral" and "winding", comparable with the two Hebrew nouns. But there is also the verb "ειλέω , eiléo" or also "heiléo", that means "to wind, go round". And it even has a sister in the verb "ειλΰω , eilǘo" with the same meaning. We find the basic element "LU" in this group of words.

 

Note:
  • Hebrew shows us two nouns, that are based on the root of a verb " ל ו ה , L W H = to wind, turn, twist". The doubling of the consonant L has taken place in a special way. That is, the original "L W " as seen in the verb, has not become " LWW " ( as would be common in Hebrew), or "L L W" ( more common in Greek ), but " L W L". We suppose that the root we find at the origin of the substantives, has been shaped by the backward doubling of the consonant, in this case L. We call backward doubling the case in which a combination of two sounds doubles the second one. Doubling consonants is a common development in Hebrew, as is in Greek the forward doubling. But this case is different , because it is the first consonant that is doubled. That is, the original "L W" has not become "*LWW" but "LWL". We recognize this is hypothetical, but we see it as very plausible on the basis of the other elements, those of similarity with the older Greek root. Proto-Semitic is seen in the following note.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. This root is seen in Arabic as well : "lawā = he turned, twisted". It probably was also used in Proto-Semitic: "*ל ו ה , L W H " . For the pronunciation the use of a vowel " U " can be considered.

 

Note:
  • Latin contributes to the clarity of the case. The second verb, "volutare" is simply an intensive form of the first one "volvere". The common origin of V and U is once more demonstrated in this development. Of course it is not without reason that in Latin there was only one lettersign for both U and V. The striking thing is that our hypothetical common original root "*LW" or also "*LV" or "*LU", has doubled the "W", giving us Latin "VLV" (or "VLU") as to Greek "WLU" and Hebrew "LWL".

 

Note:
  • Latin and English. Latin has contributed to the shaping of some English words on the basis of the root of " volvere", such as " " to evolve " , " evolution ", " volute " and " volution ".

 

Note:
  • English with its word "loop" is a special case, but it nicely extends and completes the picture. There seems to be no clear etymology known for this word. We believe it can be related to the other words of this entry. True, after "LOO", pronounced "LU", and derived from Middle English "loupe" with the same sound, we see a P. Its meaning is the same as that of Hebrew "lula’oth", an obvious plural of "lula'à" and that is considered to have been derived from a verb "*lulu= to wind, twist, turn" , an extended form of older "*lawà" with the same meaning.

     

    But Hebrew offers also a word "’ulaph" that says "wrapped". And here we see a final P as well. The picture is complicated but revealing. The L and W (or V,U or O) in meaning winding and turning, wind and turn around each other, sometimes doubling in the process. And now and then, as in English and some Hebrew words, the labial W "solidifies" into a PH or P.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic. The combination "W L W" is found in Gothic "walwjan, walwison = to roll, roll over, wallow" and of course in English "to wallow". But already in Gothic we see a verb "waltjan = to wallow (oneself)". This development is also seen in North Germanic with Old Norse "velta" and Old English "wealtan" after a "wealwan" that yet continued into "to wallow". It can be compared with the West Germanic adding of "TZ", as still seen in the "Waltz" from Vienna, or "Z" as in Old High German "welzan, walzan". Proto-Germanic perhaps began extending with "T" or "Z" the older root, that anyhow was "*W L W", using a vowel "A" to shape "*W A L W".

 

Note:
  • Indo-European . Besides as shown , Latin with its "V L V", there are some cognates in other Indo-European groups.

     

    Slavic in Old Church Slavonian has "valiti = to roll". Here the original W- or U- sounds have already disappeared and the form "V A L-" was established. It continued into modern Slavic languages.

     

    Old Indian shows us a few interesting words, derived from the same root seen in this entry: "ulūtagh = boa constrictor", "valayagh = bracelet" and "vallì, vallìgh = winding (climbing)" . The boa constrictor shows the oldest form, "U L U", but in the other words the first "W" ( or "U" as vowel) is a consonant that required and received a vowel "A" for pronunciation. And the second consonant became "Y" just to disappear later, as seen in the verb "valati = to turn (around)" with the participle "valitá",

     

    Greek, already menioned in a Note above, wih the meanings of "to roll, make roll, wind, be rolled etcetera", has a couple of verbs, of which the older one is: "ειλΰω , eilǘo". Greek scholars teach us that the original root was "*W E L U-". The development can be seen as very normal for Greek.

     

    On the basis of the information that is available, an Indo-European "*WŪ L Ū" can be hypothesized. In real individual or group pronunciation any "U" may have been "WU" or "UW"and shifts between the sounds "W, V, U, O" can occur.

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 05/11/2012 at 10.57.08