E 0214          CROWN

The word " crown " is, via Old French and Latin, of Greek origin .

H 0776             ן ר ק

Concept of root : powerful and shining

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ן ר ק

qaran; qeren

to shine; power

Related English words

crown, from Greek via Latin

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

      ן ר ק

qaran;

qeren

to shine;

power (figurative)

q . r . n

Greek

κερας;

κρατος;

κορωνις

keras;

 kratos;

koronis

power;

power;

crown

k . r . ;

k r . t ;

k . r . n

Latin

cornu;

corona

cornu;

corona

power;

crown

c . r n

English

crown

crown

c r . n

 

 

Proto-Semitic *QARAN --- *KRŌN- Indo-European

 

 

It is not so easy and obvious to say that this root is the same as that of entry E 0459 (Hebrew 0775) : "horn". The concept of "to shine" is far from any practical aspect or function of horns. The second concept, that of "power" may be linked to one or the other. The Germanic used to consider a bull's horns, as symbols of force and strength like that of a bull. Not as symbols of "power" perhaps, which is not the same as "strength". The third concept, that of abundance, is linkable to that of power, as they usually go together. But it is unclear why an animals’ horn would have been chosen as a symbol of abundance. It simply has nothing to do with that.

 

Consequently we believe it is possible that we have two identical roots " K R N ". with two different messages. One is that of entry E 0459 (Hebrew 0775), simply having to do with horns and skulls. The other one, of this entry, is about power with the splendour and richness that usually follow power. A common origin between these two is very uncertain.

 

We refer also to entry E 0203 (Hebrew 0507), where a partially similar roots talks of "power".

 

Note:
  • Greek is seen as using the word "keras= horn" of the entry E 0459 (Hebrew 0775), but also in a different way the combination "K R", to express the idea of power. It does so by adding a third consonant : " K R T". This third consonant though is also present in numerous composed words on the basis of "keras". In both cases the similarity remains limited to the first two consonants .

     

    Naturally scholars speak of "keras" : "as a symbol of power, hence also power". This supposes a way of speaking : "he has horn = he has power". We are not certain this is right, but to us the principal factor is that of similarity with Hebrew.

     

    The third word, "koronis", besides various other related things, talks about "crown", a word that in Latin and later in many European languages became the main symbol of power and glory.

 

Note:
  • Latin does not explain us, if in the case of "power" the horn is a symbol, or if we have a different origin with a today identical root. And a crown has little to do with horns, besides the fact that horns grow on the head and crowns are placed on them . It must be noted that the word "corona" in Latin was also used to say other things , as " circle of spectators ", circle of troops at a siege" and "rim, ledge of a wall". These meanings have no link whatsoever to "power" ,nor "brilliance".

     

    The Romans reghafrded crowns and coronets for heads of state as symbols of royalty and refused them as such. When Mark Anthony offerd Caesar a kind of crown, it was severely refused. Anly centuries later this changed and Emperors began to wear crowns as was the old habit in the Middle East and Asia.

 

Note:
  • The Horn of Plenty perhaps can be recognized in the Latin word "cornu" in the sense of a "vase for oil". Perhaps originally horns were used to keep "oil" ? Naturally put on a base like was done with amphoras ? It is possible but regretfully uncertain.

 

Note:
  • Middle Dutch "crune, cruine", "crone, croon " The word "crone, croon = crown" is obviously considered a loan from Latin "corona". And then there is the word "crune, cruine" for "top, highest part". that refers to :" top of the head, of a dyke, of a mountain, of a tower, crest of a wave ". Also a "tonsure" as often seen in Middle Ages was indidcated by "kruin". This is therefore seen as the origin : a loan from Latin with this specific meaning. This is not at all convincing though. Two words, "crone" and "crune" loaned at about the same time from the same Latin word "corona" and with the same meaning, but then followed by a plentiful development of new and different meanings in the case of "crune, kruin". It seems obvious that "crune" is of similar but independent Germanic origin.

     

    The word "crone" has the meanings of "wreath, garland" and "(royal) crown" besideas "tonsure" and further figurative meanings, but also "the white of the eye around the pupil". This indicates that the word existed in Germanic, but was influenced partially by Latin "corona", perhaps via the "tonsure".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic . The rather clear development in Middle Dutch is an indication of a Proto-Germanic sister root "K R N " of Latin "C R N". Then there is Old Norse "krúna" with a range of meanings, comparable be it not identical to Middle Dutch "crune" as well as "crone". In later Norwegian the vowel became mostly " O ", though the original " U " has remained in use. Regarding English, after the adoption of Latin "corona" as such in Old English, different from Anglo Norman "corune" that had mixed Old French "corone" with Old Norse "crune", Middle English seems to have looked at Middle Dutch and used "crune" besides "corune". Old High German like Old English borrowed the Latin word "corona", but Middle High German abolished this and adopted Middle Low German / Middle Dutch "krone". Probably Proto-Germanic had "*KR Ū N-".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic. The root of this entry is present in Aramaic, Syriac, Ugaritic and Arabic and probably was used in Proto-Semitic: "*ק ר ן, Q R N". In the comparison we present the traditional double " A ".

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. The combination "K R N " is seen in Greek, Latin and Germanic. The used vowel probably was " O ", as in Latin and Greek, resulting in an original "*KR Ō N-".

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 23/11/2012 at 15.25.32