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E 0869 (TO) STAMMER
The verb " to stammer " is of
Germanic origin .
H 0865 ם ת ס
Concept of root : unclear
speech
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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ם ת ס
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satam
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vague, indefinite talk
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Related English words
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to
stammer
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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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ם ת ס
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satam
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vague, indefinite talk
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s . t . m
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Middle Dutch
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stamen;
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stameren;
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stamelen
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stamen;
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stameren;
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stamelen
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to stumble speech;
to talk vaguely;
to stammer, stutter
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s t . m
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Old English
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stomerian
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to stammer
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s t . m
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English
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to stammer
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to stammer
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s t . m
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Swedish
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stamma
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stamma
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to stammer , stutter
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s t . m
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Proto-Semitic *SATAM --- *STĀM- Proto-Germanic
The basic concept is that of speaking in a not clear way. In the Germanic words this refers to defective speaking, both involuntary and voluntary. In Hebrew the accent lies on the voluntary lack of clarity.
Note:
- Hebrew. The verb "ס ת ם , S T M, satam = to talk vaguely" is registered in Post Biblical Hebrew. Probably it did not fall out of the sky and was in use in Biblical times already.
Note:
- English and Dutch. The longer verbs, that have an R or L, are iterative or intensive forms of the basic one with S T M, that in English, like in modern Dutch, is out of use.
Note:
- Swedish still uses the basic, non iterative verb in "stamma". So does Norwegian, in "stamme".
Note:
- Proto-Semitic. Usually the root found in this entry is considered to be the same found in entry E 0873 (Hebrew 0864), in which a Proto-Semitic "*ס ת ם , S T M" is seen. It is though difficult to see a sufficient semantic link between the two similar roots.
If we are right, we have no information from Semitic languages to confirm a hypothesis for the meaning of this entry. If we are wrong and the root is the same in both entries, we lack information about the specific meaning of "to talk vaguely" or "to stammer". It must further be noted that according to some scholars a root "S T M" in Biblical Hebrew also may have been used for a rather wide range of concepts like "anonymous, hidden in general, unknown" and this does not simplify the picture.
Note:
- Proto-Germanic. Old Norse , predecessor of Norwegian, has "stama" for "to stammer". Old English used already longer verbs, "stamerian" and "stametan", but for "stammering" has "stam" and "stamor". Proto-Germanic probably had "*ST Ā M-". It must be noted that with the same consonants but the vowel "Ŏ", Proto-Germanic probably expressed the incapability of speaking, as in English "dumb, mute": "*ST Ŏ M-"
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 28/11/2012 at 12.08.19 |
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