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Line 1: − + + + + − The following examples of Semitic language structure use Hebrew, in the main, as examples to differentiate from IndoEuropean language, but other Semitic languages follow the same pattern. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
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The '''Semitic languages''' are a branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. The main and most well known Semitic languages are [[Hebrew]], [[Aramaic]] ([[Syriac]]), [[Arabic]], and [[Amharic]]. But modern versions of dialects of some of these languages show intermingling with and influence by some [[Indo-European language]]s.
The '''Semitic languages''' are a branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. The main and most well known Semitic languages are [[Hebrew]], [[Aramaic]] ([[Syriac]]), [[Arabic]], and [[Amharic]]. But modern versions of dialects of some of these languages show intermingling with and influence by some [[Indo-European language]]s.
Semitic languages are "root" languages - with basic meanings of words derived from the consonants. This is different than English and other Indo-European languages where the vowels have equal weight as the consonants. Thus, in Hebrew, the consonants KTB (or V) have something to do with "writing". From this basic root, there is derived KoTeV=writing or author, KaTTav= reporter, KaTuV=written, K'TuVim= Scriptures, KaTaVti= I wrote, eK(kh)ToV=I will write, K'ToVet=inscription or address, and so on. This "root" aspect of Hebrew is common to all Semitic languages. Thus, in Arabic, KTB appears in KaTaBa= "he wrote", maKTuB= "letter", KaaTiB= author, KuTiBat=it (fem.) was written, etc. In Aramaic, KTB appears in KeTaV= "he wrote", KaTVat= "she wrote", KeTuBa= "marriage contract", KeTiVat= was written (feminine), KaaTiV= writing. (In Aramaic the definite article for "the" is A (Aleph) added at the end of a noun rather than at the front. Thus the Hebrew "HaMeLeKH"= the King, becomes in Aramaic MaLKA)
Semitic languages are "root" languages - with basic meanings of words derived (mostly) from trilateral roots (words that cannot be broken down any further), trilateral in the sense they have three consonants. These three consonants do not undergoes change, but the vowels do changes to determine tense, aspect and person, similar to ablaut (''Sing'', ''sang'', ''sung'', ''song'', thus vowel changes alone can mark the nominalization of a verbal root as well as past tense, of which there are two variants in the case of ''sing''). Trilateral Roots are pronounced with vowels, as in ''sabal'', ''katab'', ''qavah'', ''śaṭan'', and ''chavah''. <ref>http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/5449.html</ref> <ref>http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/3789.html </ref> <ref>lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/6960.html </ref> <ref>http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/7853.html </ref>
<ref>http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/2331.html</ref>
Most of the time however the only vowel present in these roots is ''a'', although there are exceptions like ''umah'' (u is sounded as "oo"), meaning ''family''. <ref>http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/0523.html</ref>
Other vowels can be found in bilateral roots such as ''chul'', ''rosh'', ''gud'', ''dur'' and ''shub''. <ref>http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/2342.html</ref> <ref>http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/7218.html</ref>
<ref>http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/1464.html </ref> <ref>http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/1752.html </ref> <ref>http://lexiconcordance.com/hebrew/7725.html</ref>
Thus, in Hebrew, the consonants KTB (or V) have something to do with "writing". From this basic root, there is derived KoTeV=writing or author, KaTTav= reporter, KaTuV=written, K'TuVim= Scriptures, KaTaVti= I wrote, eK(kh)ToV=I will write, K'ToVet=inscription or address, and so on. This "root" aspect of Hebrew is common to all Semitic languages. Thus, in Arabic, KTB appears in KaTaBa= "he wrote", maKTuB= "letter", KaaTiB= author, KuTiBat=it (fem.) was written, etc. In Aramaic, KTB appears in KeTaV= "he wrote", KaTVat= "she wrote", KeTuBa= "marriage contract", KeTiVat= was written (feminine), KaaTiV= writing. (In Aramaic the definite article for "the" is A (Aleph) added at the end of a noun rather than at the front. Thus the Hebrew "HaMeLeKH"= the King, becomes in Aramaic MaLKA)
Other Semitic languages follow the same patter, and so ''ablaut'', any sound change within a word that indicates grammatical information (often inflectional), is used more extensively in Semitic languages than in Indo-European ones.
===Biliteral origin of some triliteral roots===
Although most roots in Hebrew seem to be tri-radical, many of them were originally bi-radical, cf. the relation between:
{|
|-
| ג־ז־ז || √g-z-z || shear
|-
| ג־ז־ם || √g-z-m || prune
|-
| ג־ז־ר || √g-z-r || cut
|}
as well as between:<br />
{|
|-
| פ־ר־ז || √p-r-z || divide a city
|-
| פ־ר־ט || √p-r-ţ || give change
|-
| פ־ר־ע || √p-r-‘ || pay a debt <ref name=Zuckermann >See p. 1 of Zuckermann, Ghil'ad 2003, [http://www.palgrave.com/br/book/9781403917232 ‘‘Language Contact and Lexical Enrichment in Israeli Hebrew’’], Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan, (Palgrave Studies in Language History and Language Change, Series editor: Charles Jones). {{ISBN|1-4039-1723-X}}.</ref>
|}
The Hebrew root ש־ק־ף - √sh-q-p "look out/through" deriving from ק־ף - √q-p "bend, arch, lean towards" and similar verbs fit into the shaCCéC verb-pattern.<br />
{|
|-
|colspan="2"|"arch, bend"
|-
| ק־פ־א || √q-p-'
|-
|ק־פ־ה || √q-p-h
|-
|ק־פ־ח || √q-p-ħ
|-
|ק־פ־י || √q-p-y
|}
This verb-pattern is usually causative, cf.
{|
|-
| ש־ט־ף - √sh-ţ-p ‘wash, rinse, make wet’, from ט־ף - √ţ-p ‘wet’
|-
| ש־ל־ך - √sh-l-k ‘cast off, throw down, cause to go’ from ל־ך - √l-k ‘go’".<ref name=Zuckermann />
|}
===Noun, Adjective and Verb in singular===
===Noun, Adjective and Verb in singular===