GD 1073          RABOOY

H 0806             ב ר

Concept of root : much and many

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ב ר

rav;

rov

numerous, much, many, big;

multitude, quantity

Related English words

none

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

      ב ר

rav;

-

-

 rov

much, many, numerous;

quantity, multitude, crowd

r . v

Middle Dutch

rive ;

-

-

rabooy

-

rive

-

-

raboy

-

many, much, abundant;

a crowds multitude

r . v;

-

-

r . b .

-

 

 

Proto-Semitic *RAB, *ROB --- *RĪB Proto-Germanic

 

 

The concept of this brief root "R B" usually pronounced "R V" covers a number of aspects of "much" and "many" in numerous variations, such as "numerous" itself. We find only a very small interface for it, in a Middle Dutch word "rive" . This is an adverb that carries those meanings of Hebrew "R V" : many, much, abundant ( rather like numerous).

 

Really a small connection, too little to constate with any certainty a common origin, but also too much to just forget and not mention it.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic Middle Dutch used "rive" also as adjective , with comparable meanings. But from modern language it has completely disappeared. There are some indications about sister words in other Germanic languages. Old English has "rife = abundant" and "ryfe = frequent. This is very similar to Middle Dutch as seen in the table. Also Middle Low German "rī" and, oddly without final labial West Frian "rj&363;" carry the same meanings. Old Norse "reifa = to enrich" may be related, but "reifr= cheerful " is too far off. Proto-Germanic may have had a form "*R Ī B-" for "much, abundance".

     

    One other word, without any indication of origin, and also disappeared from modern language, is Middle Dutch "rabooy". It talks about the multitude of a crowd. And in Hebrew "rov" also stands for "crowd". It might be related. There is a word "rabauw" with a sister in Old French "ribaud". They indicate various kinds of unpleasant individuals, but not crowds.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic is seen as having used the root we find in Hebrew "*ר ב , R . B". It must be noted that an identical root, that may well be one and the same, carries the meaning of "chief, lord, master" and has led to the word "rabbi = my master, teacher". In the sense of "much" etcetera this same brief two consonant root is used in Aramaic and Syriac . There is a lengthened root in which the second consonant has been doubled: "ר ב ב , R B B" with the meaning of "to be or become much, many, great" and that is found also in Aramaic. It is possible but uncertain if this three consonant root was used in Proto-Semitic already.

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. Indications about cognates in other groups of Indo-European languages are not available as it seems. The comparison is between Semitic and Germanic.

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 25/11/2012 at 18.08.43