E 0094          BILL

The Old English word " bill " is of Germanic origin.

H 0693         ח ל פ

Concept of root : cleaving

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ח ל פ

pillagh

to cleave

Related English words

Old English bill

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ח ל פ

pillagh

to cleave

p (i) l . gh

Old English

bill

axe

b (i) l

Middle Dutch

bile

bile

axe

b (i) l

Dutch

bijl

beil

axe

b (i) l

Old High German

bial

bial

axe

b (i). l

 

 

Proto-Semitic *PALEGH < *PALÀ --- *PĂL- Indo-European

 

 

A second comparison and presentation of similarity with the same Hebrew root of entry number E 0692 (Hebrew 0692) is justified because the European words in comparison have followed quite a different development. The typically Germanic adding of an initial S and a final T, S or TS has not taken place here. The specialization of the meanings is that of the cleaving action of the axe.

 

The difference between the initial consonants P and B is there, but we should not consider this too decisive. In many instances these two ways of pronouncing a labial interchange , also between dialects and naturally in development. This does not mean that we have obtained that absolute certainty that is a rare richness in etymology. Instead a factor of uncertainty remains.

 

 

Note:
  • English in Old English uses the word "bill" for a curved double-edged sword.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. This root P L GH is found in Aramaic and Syriac *פ ל ח , pelagh he cleft". Arabic, where the initial P has become an F , has : "falaghā = he cleft". It was probably used in Proto-Semitic "*פ ל ח , P L GH". This three consonant root may well have been developed out of a two consonant root wih final accentuated vowel : "*פ ל ה , P L H (accentuated vowel)".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic. Words in Germanic languages , related to the entries E 0692 "plough" (Hebrew 0692) and actual E 0094 (Hebrew 0693) "bill", indicate "ploughshare", "knife", "sword", "axe". Old Saxon "bil = sword", Middle Dutch "bile =axe". Swedish has a "plogbill" that in Old Swedish was "bilder". Old Norse had "bild" for a sharp knife. Old High German loves to introduce an "H" and did so with "bihal" , but that returned via Middle High German "bihel, biel, bil" to "Beil =axe" in modern German. The hypothesis for Proto-Germanic must be "*B Ī L" for various cutting instruments or weapons.

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. The current opinion relays these words to an hypothetical root "*bhei" for "to beat". We think that the people that spoke Indo-European 10 or 12.000 years ago, necessarily made a clear difference between actions of beating and actions of splitting. Distinguishing between these various things they did was very essential in their daily life and communication.

     

    Outside Germanic the information is limited. Clearly related is Old Indian:

     

    Old Indian "phalati = to cleave", "pathati = to split open" and "phāla = ploughshare"

     

    Slavic has a hypothesis for "half", that may be related, in "*polj", that is recognizable in Russian "половина, polowėna = half". There are sisterwords in other languages.

     

     

    Indo European may have had a form "*P Ā L-" or "*P Ŏ L-" for "to split, cleave"

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 16/11/2012 at 16.30.55