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E 0950 TYHT
The Old English word " tyht "
is of Germanic origin .
H 1027 י נ ת י צ
Concept of root : obedience
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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י נ ת צ י ;
ת ו י צ
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tsaėtanė
tsiut
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obedient
obedience
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Related English words
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Old English : tyht
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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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י נ ת י צ
ת ו י צ
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tsaėtanė;
tsiut
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obedient;
obedience
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ts (i) t
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Old Saxon
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missituhtig
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missituhtig
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disobedient
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t (u) ht
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Old English
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tyht
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obedience
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t (y) ht
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Old High German
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tuhtig;
tuhten
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tuhtig
;
tuhten
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obedient ;
to educate
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t (u) ht
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German
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züchtigen
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tsükhtigen
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to punish, make obey
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ts (ü) ght
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Dutch
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tuchtigen ;
tucht
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tŭghtighen;
-
tŭght
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to punish, make obey
;
discipline
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t (ŭ) ght
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Hebrew *TSIUT --- *TŬHT- Proto-Germanic
A limited problem in this similarity is that for the word "tsaitani" the meaning "obedient" is found in Modern Hebrew. In older language, specifically Post Biblical texts, it stood for "inquisitive", as if seen with reference to young people who have to learn and must want to know . If they are eager for knowledge and seek it , they obey the rules . But the problem is solved when we see that Medieval Hebrew used צ
י
ו
ת , tsiut" for "obedience, obeying". We suppose that the wise scholars who built the Modern Hebrew language, based themselves on this, when they coined "tsa'ėtanė" for "obedient", thus rediscovering an old similarity with Germanic .
The basic point in the definition of roots in Hebrew is that they consist of consonants only. The reasons are those of scientific practicality, not of basic absolute truth, which does not exist in this sense. But some of the symbols for consonants are also used as "mater lectionis". One might in fact say that they have to be pronounced as vowels, often because in those places in the those words the consonants tend to be pronounced also as vowels. One of these is the Waw "
ו " that may become an O or U and another the Yod "
י " that may for example become an " I " . In this entry they are both present, the Waw or U in the Germanic tongues and the Yod or I in Hebrew. In all probability this Yod has developed out of a Waw.
Interesting is that this difference seems to disappear when we hear modern German " zükhtigen " that in important regions of the country is pronounced with " I " : tsīghtigen ". This same pronunciation is found in Yiddish.
Two differences have developed between the two language groups. Germanic has aspired the closing T, making it HT, that in newer language has become CHT. The other is that Hebrew and modern German have a sliding TS against the others a straight explosive T. These factors do not belie the possible common origin. And anyhow, as already mentioned, the second difference loses significance if we see modern German having TS like Hebrew, while Dutch maintains the single T.
Note:
- Hebrew. The word "tsaėtanė " and the related noun "tsaėtan = obedient person" have suffixes "-an" respectively "-ani". Obedience is already in Medieval Hebrew "
צ
י
ו
ת , tsiut". The verb is "
צ
י
ת , tsičt", that is an intensive form of a verb tsėt, that probably was a development out of *tsot". This verb in Post Biblical Hebrew says " to listen", as well as " to follow, join".
Note:
- Proto-Semitic We lack direct evidence from other Semitic languages that would support a hypothesis different from Hebrew. The development in itself clearly indicates that the words come from very old language, which basically means Proto-Semitic. In the comparison we use Hebrew "TSIUT", that may well have existed in Proto-Semitic.
Note:
- German. In German the root of this entry has undergone a kind of fusion with a not unsimilar one that carries the message of "virtue, quality" . The relative verb is "taugen". Perhaps, if we consider obedience a virtue as such, which we not necessarily do there may be a far off common origin as well.
Note:
- Proto-Germanic. The message of "obedience " in this root is an old one. It has been accompanied and replaced by the two concepts of "education" and "punishment", both obviously directed at "to make obey". A shift from active to causative use of the basic root.
In older languages, besides the mentioned Old Saxon word, there is a very clear Old High German "zuhzig = obedient" as well as "zuhten = to educate, discipline". The initial "Z" is a specific German develeopment. Proto-Germanic probably had "*T Ŭ HT-".
Note:
- Indo-European. Indications for cognates in other branches of Indo-European seem not to be available. The comparison stays between Semitic and Germanic, as very often happens.
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 14/12/2012 at 17.30.37 |
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