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E 0774 SCĪR
The Old English word " scīr
" is of Germanic origin .
H 0896 ר ח ש
Concept of root : light and
clear
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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ר ח ש
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shaghar
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dawnbreak, aurora
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Related English words
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Old English scīr
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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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ר ח ש
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shaghar
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dawnbreak, aurora
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sh . gh . r
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Greek
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σκιρον
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skiron
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white mildew;
white parasol
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sk . r
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Gothic
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skeirs
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sk(ei)rs
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clear, light
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sk . r (s)
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Old English
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scīr
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skìr
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clear, light
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sc . r
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Old Norse
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skirr
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skir
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clear, light
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sk . r
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Middle High German
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schīr
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shir
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clear, light
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sh . r
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Dutch
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schier
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sghìr
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clear grey, white
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s gh . r
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Proto-Semitic *SHAGHAR --- *SKĪR- Proto-Germanic < *SKŪR- Indo-European
This Hebrew root is identical to that of entry E 0626 (Hebrew 0895) , but has the opposite meaning. There are two possible explanations for this phenomenon.
The first one is that there may have been originally two roots that differed because they did not have the same first consonant Shin. It has been established that in pre-Biblical language two different Shin’s existed.
The second possible explanation is that this is one root, that originally covered the concept of " change between light and darkness, of getting darker as well as getting lighter ". There are more examples of this kind of cultural approach in old language, in Indo-European as well as in Hebrew. For example the concepts of "to come" and "to go". Or those of "to rise" and "to descend".
We see in Greek also the two ideas represented by a similar root. And the Dutch word "schemer" indicates the period between dark and light, be it in the morning or in the evening.
Note:
- Hebrew as usual , at least in the standard form that is used to refer to a verb, and that is often identical to the relative noun, inserts two full-fledged vowels, while other languages prefer to put two of the three consonants close together without intermediate vowel.
Note:
- Proto-Semitic used the root we see here in Hebrew "*ש ח ר , SH GH R".
We note that the most probable original meaning of this root must have been that of "changing from dark to light" as well as "changing from light to dark" . It is found in Aramaic ""ש ח ר א, shagharà = dawn". Arabic "sahar = dawn" and Akkadian "shēru, shītu" have the same message. Interesting the long " Ī " in the second Akkadian word, so similar to some Germanic words.
Note:
- Greek offers us just two applications , of which the second one is not quite certain. The white parasol was carried by a priest on certain solemn occasions, but with that it has not been defined if the word refers to the white colour of the umbrella or to the limited shadow it procures.
Note:
- Old High German and Dutch also have other words like " sciaro" and "schier" that are unrelated to this entry.
Note:
- Proto-Germanic . As done in other cases, the existence of "SK" in older languages induces us to suppose that Proto-Germanic also had an initial "SK". We refer to Old Norse "skirr" and "skärr", Gothic "skirs", Old Frisian "skire" and Old English "scir". Nearly always we find a vowel "I" , but variations occur in related words or verbal forms, as seen in Old Norse. Also modern Danish has "skär" for a "light shine" and for "twilight". But the "I"-sound, long or sometimes brief, indicates the original one. Proto-Germanic presumably had "*SK Ī R-".
Note:
- Indo-European. We cite our Note on Indo-European E 0626 (Hebrew 0895) that deals with comparable problems.
"The problem is that with the closing consonant " R ", "SK U R-" we find: 1a. Hebrew "shaghor", naturally with two syllables for three consonants as usual and 1b. Latin "(ob)scurus", meaning "dark". But also 2. Old High German "skur" e.o. that have the concept of "to cover, protect". And without " R " there is Anglo-Saxon "scua = darkness, shadow, protection", thus covering both concepts.
Consequently it is plausible that both "darkness" and "covering, protection" were already served (early) in Indo-European by "*S K U-". Subsequently developments by adding other consonants have led to "*S K U R-" and "S K U/O-T", both without fully consequent diversification of meanings.
The striking point is that the closing consonant " R " was also present in Semitic. This phenomenon, that shows Semitic corresponding with a part only of Indo-European, is rather frequent. An explanation in this specific case might also be that in Indo-European in some groups or sectors the final " R " was lost and/or substituted/followed by other consonants, a dental as shown, a "G" as in Nordic "skugga, skugge = shadow", or also a labial like the "M" in Old Norse "scuma = darkness, twilight", that corresponds with a Dutch word that has the " R ".
This word is "schemeren = to be between dark and light". This represents two very interesting phenomena. The first basic one regards the message, that may cover two for our way of thinkings opposite concepts, like "to come, to go", and in this instance "to (be)come light" as well as "to (be)come dark". The second phenomenon is demonstrated by Old English, were again without that "R" found in Dutch, the word "scima= light, twilight, gloom". And Middle Dutch does the trick both with and without the " R ": "schemen, schemeren = bring darkness, bring light".
Armenian khavar = dark" is an interesting development out of "*KUR", of which the "U" became pronounced as a consonant, specifically "V" and then required two vowels " A " for a practical and pleasant pronunciation of the complete word. An or the initial "S" may have gone lost in the process .
Celtic has used dentals as extra consonants: Old Irish "scáth = shadow" and Breton "skeud = darkness".".
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: Thursday 7 February 2013 at 16.06.56 |
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