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E 0938 TOWER
The word " tower " is of
undefined Indo European origin .
H 0978 ן ר ת
Concept of root : rising high
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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ן ר ת
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toren
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mast,
pole
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Related English words
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tower
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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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ן ר ת
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toren
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mast, pole
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t (o) r . n
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Aramaic
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ר ו ט
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thur
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hill, mountain
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th (u) r
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Greek
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τυρσις
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türsis
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tower
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t (ü) r s
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Latin
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turris
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turris
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tower
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t (u) r
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Old English
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tur
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tower
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t (u) r
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English
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tower
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tower
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t (ow) . r
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Dutch
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toren
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toren
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tower
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t (o) r . n
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Swedish
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torn
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torn
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tower
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t (o) r n
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Old High German
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turri,
turra
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turri,
turra
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tower
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t (u) r
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German
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Turm
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turm
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tower
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t (u) r m
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Proto-Semitic *TOREN --- TOREN Dutch < *TŪR Indo-European
This nice similarity of two identical words in Hebrew and Dutch may be casual, accidental, not due to a common origin. This doubt is caused by the usual translation, referred in the table, as "mast, pole". But it is quite possible that these translations of Hebrew "toren" do not cover all. In Isaiah 30:17 one reads : like a "toren" on the top of a mountain and like a "cannès" on the hill. For both words different translations are given. In our view the phrase may say : "like a protected place on top of the mountain and like a refuge on the hill".
A refuge, a protected place, a stronghold, a fortified dwelling, tecnically vary according to the society and the circumstances.
The concept in common is that of "rising high", referring in Hebrew to a ships’s mast or another wooden pole or construction. In Dutch it refers to any high rising construction, a tower of any kind. Thus the words are identical, "toren" , but their meanings only related. The interface is narrow but very interesting . Interesting is then as well that in Celtic we find a Middle Irish "tuir" that has two meanings: "tower" and "pillar".
For " tower" Hebrew uses a different word, "
מ
ג
ד
ל , migdal", litterally "that what has grown up ( high )".
"Toren" in Post Biblical texts is seen with the probably figurative meanings of "very tall man" and "giant".
Note:
- Hebrew and Aramaic. This Hebrew word "toren" is an isolated one. The root " T R N " is not found elsewhere. Therefore it is probably an old word. Aramaic "thur" deals also with something that rises high, like a mountain. The fact that it uses an aspired T, that is TH, does not change things fundamentally. There is a modern word "ת ו ר ן, toran " for person on duty ( on turn)", that is fully unrelated.
Note:
- Indo-European languages, from Greek and Latin to Old English, all have a root for "tower" that is "T W R", with its variations in which the W (waw) has become a vowel, "T O R" and "T U R". We quote Latin "turris", Old English "tur", Old High German "turri, turra" and of course English "tower". Besides this we see in German "Turm", since around 1500 e.v.. This extra M has been explained by a derivation from the accusative case of Latin that was "turrim", but such a thing, besides being very abnormal, could not have happened so late. It simply must be seen as a "speaking-development" after older High German "turn".
Also In Celtic we find a Cymric "tŵr with the same meanings as found already in Latin "turris" and Greek: "τυρσις, türsis = tower, fortress". Greek scholars have some doubts about the purely Greek origin of this word. There is also another word: πυργος, pürgos with the same message. Let us look at Middle Dutch now :
Note:
- Middle Dutch had the classic Latin-like forms , like in "tor, tore, torre, turre, toor". But it also had the version "torm", with a final M like in German. Finally it used the title " toren, toorn, toirn, torn" with a final N. There is no certain explanation for this , except the similarity with the Hebrew root in this entry.
Note:
- Indo-European and Proto-Germanic. A hypothesis is that Indo-European had "*T Ū R-". Then Proto-Germanic used a vowel " O " and added a final " N ", coming to a form "*T Ō RN-".
Note:
- Proto-Semitic. We lack information from other Semitic languages for a hypothesis different from Hebrew.
Note:
- Indo European and Semitic have in common that root "T W R" that has its variations of the
W into vowels and also of the T that can become TH. One might remark that modern German
spells a T, but many Germans say " Thurm " with an H that is heard. One of the variations
we find in Hebrew, Nordic and Dutch : the adding of a final N.
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 11/12/2012 at 12.51.48 |
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