E 0808          SHIN

The word " shin " is of Germanic origin .

H 0924                 ן נ ש

Concept of root : sharpness

Hebrew word

pronunciation

English meanings

ן נ ש

shanan,

shinnèn

to sharpen

Related English words

shin

Comparison between European words and Hebrew

Languages

Words

Pronunciation

English meanings

Similarity in roots

Hebrew

ן נ ש

shanan;

shinnèn

to sharpen

sh . n . n <

*sh . n .

English

shin

shin

sh . n

Old English

scinu

shin

sc . n .

German

Schienbein

shìnb(ei)n

shin(bone)

sh . n

German

Schiene

shìne

rail ; splint; ruler

sh . n

Old High German

scina

shina

shin, needle, chip

sc . n

Middle Dutch

schene

sghéne

shin;

(wooden, metal) strip, splinter

sch . n

Norwegian

skinne

skinne

shin;

rail

sk . n

Swedish

sken-;

skena

-

-

shén;

shéna

-

-

shin;

rail, long strip of metal

sh . n

Danish

skinne

skinne

shin-;

rail

sk . n

 

 

Hebrew SHINNÈN < Proto-Semitic *SHON < *SHANÀ --- *SKĬN, SKĒN- Indo-European

 

 

The name "shin" for the front part of the lower leg and the bone inside is regarded as coming from an Indo European root "*skei" that said "to cut", via the idea of "piece cut off". We, in a not quite identical view, believe that indeed the sharp shape of the bone, also in animals, has led to its name . As to the word "shin" there is little doubt that it refers originally to the bone inside, and only later to the front part of the lower leg as such.

 

We should therefore look at the meanings of the word, especially in its Middle Dutch version "schene", that comprehends that of long wooden or metal strips, also splinterlike, but basically cut. In High German there is no doubt about the origin of Old High German "scina " as "chiplike bone". And German gives us further information, as the word "Schiene", that has come to say principally "rail" (of railway), and has abandoned the meaning of "shin(bone)", still conserves that of "needle" and "point" .

 

 

Note:
  • Hebrew. The intensive form "shinnèn" in Biblical Hebrew is seen meaning " to instruct diligently". The message of "to sharpen" is seen in Post Biblical Hebrew, but may be presumed to have been used also in Biblical times.

 

Note:
  • Proto-Semitic . This root is present in Aramaic and Syriac "ש נ י נ א, sheninà = sharp". There are cognates in Arabic "sannà, sannanà = he sharpened". It was probably used in Proto-Semitic "*ש נ ן , SH N N". It is rather obvious that "SH N N" has developed out of an earlier "*SH N", through the doubling of the second consonant. This preceding two consonant root ""*SH N" with the message of "sharp" may have been present in Proto-Semitic. This kind of cases always opens a second question.

     

    A two consonant combination often has two main versions. One version is that in which the second consonant is followed by an accentuated vowel, in writing indicated by a mater lectionis "Hé", that in this case would give "SH . N H, shanà". The other version sees a vowel "O" between the two consonants, a vowel that is indicated by a mater lectionis "Waw": "SH W N, shon". We have no sufficient indications to make a choice, besides the existence of the "root "SH . N, shen", but in Proto-Semitic "*shin", that refers to the typically sharp or sharpened part of the human body that is a "tooth", as well as simply to the sharp thing that is a "point", mentioned in Entry E 931 "tooth" (Hebrew 0919). In the comparison we venture the version "SH W N".

 

Note:
  • Proto-Germanic . The initial consonant group has the usual Germanic variations "SK", " SH" and "SGH", but the following vowels "I" and "E" have taken the Swedes from "SK" into the "SH"-camp- . The most common vowel in the Germanic words that are related to this entry, is an "I"-sound, long or short. The consonant after the vowel is "N", sometimes followed by a short or dull "E". Proto-Germanic presumably had "*SK Ī N-" or "*SK Ē N-".

 

Note:
  • Indo-European. We have very little information from outside Germanic, but some help comes from Baltic.

     

    Baltic has a hypothesis of "*skein-" for "legbone, shin", with a Latvian "shkiene = lath, sternum".

     

    Indo-European may have had "*SK Ē N-", though "*SK Ĭ N-" can not be excluded.

 

 

 

 

 
Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 02/01/2013 at 15.24.26