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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-Eurpean 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 undergoe any changes, but the vowels do change to determine tense, aspect and person, similar to the Indo-European phenomenon which is 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>

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.  

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.

 

Although most roots in Hebrew seem to be tri-radical, many of them were originally bi-radical, cf. the relation between:

as well as between:<br />

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 />

 

This verb-pattern is usually causative, cf.

| 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===

==Differences between Semitic and Indo-European language structure==

 

==Differences between Semitic and [[Indo-European language]] structure==

Unlike Greek, which has an ample vocabulary, and case ending to determine which words are to be read with which words, what parts of speech (subject, object etc.), Semitic languages are contextual language - that is, relatively few words but each word having a variety of meanings. This requires knowledge of the literature, and literatures - that is, knowledge of the context to determine the precise meaning  This general rule is somewhat modified with respect to the Arabic language which does have case endings and does have a more replete vocabulary than Hebrew. (There is evidence that Hebrew and Aramaic once did case endings but they had dropped off in time.)  

Unlike Greek, which has an ample vocabulary, ablaut, and case endings to determine which words are to be read with which words, what parts of speech (subject, object etc.), Semitic languages are contextual languages - that is, having relatively few words but each word having a variety of meanings. This requires knowledge of the literature, and of literatures - that is, knowledge of the context to determine the precise meaning. This general rule is somewhat modified with respect to the Arabic language which does have case endings and does have a more replete vocabulary than Hebrew. (There is evidence that Hebrew and Aramaic once did have case endings but they had dropped off in time.)  

Here are examples from Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic showing how case ending help tell which is subject, which is object, etc. thereby leaving the order of the words with respect to each other (syntax) more flexible, and how the lack of case endings require a more precise word order  

Here are examples from Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic showing how case ending helps tell which is subject, which is object, etc. thereby leaving the order of the words with respect to each other ([[syntax]]) more flexible, and how the lack of case endings requires a more precise word order.

Hebrew: "Eesh Elohim" may mean " man is God (a man is God)" or "man of God". (To mean either one, "Eesh" must be placed before "Elohim", already reducing flexibility in syntax). There is nothing at the end of these words to indicate what part of speech they are. So we must look outside to the context to determine whether the meaning is, or probably is, "man is God" or "man of God"  The context decides for us that 'man is God' is highly unlikely and that "man of God"is highly probable.  

Hebrew: "Ish Elohim" may mean "man is God (a man is God)" or "man of God". (To mean either one, "Ish" must be placed before "Elohim", already reducing flexibility in syntax). There is nothing at the end of these words to indicate what part of speech they are. So we must look outside to the context to determine whether the meaning is, or probably is, "man is God" or "man of God"  The context decides for us that 'man is God' is highly unlikely and that "man of God" is highly probable.  

[[Greek]]: "anthropos" (man) has "os" attached to the root "anthrop". This "os" tell us that this word is nominative and the subject of the sentence. Theou (of God) has "ou", meaning "of" attached to the root of "The" meaning God.  So there is no mistaking the meaning of "man of God" whether we have the word order of "anthropos theou" or "theou anthropos", or even separate the words by other modifying or qualifying words (Example: "What is this new being spoken by you teaching?" Acts 17:19 - bad English but good Greek). This allows for a variety of syntactical relations in Greek, and the general context is less determinative for meaning as it is in the Semitic group of languages. In addition, either one, "theou anthropos" or "anthropos theou" is stylisticly correct, or, at least, if not equally correct, it is for reasons other than being considered now.   

[[Greek]]: "anthropos" (man) has "os" attached to the root "anthrop". This "os" tells us that this word is nominative and the subject of the sentence. Theou (of God) has "ou", meaning "of", attached to the root of "The", meaning God.  So there is no mistaking the meaning of "man of God", whether we have the word order of "anthropos theou" or "theou anthropos", or even separate the words by other modifying or qualifying words (Example: "What is this new being spoken by you teaching?" Acts 17:19 - bad English but good Greek). This allows for a variety of syntactical relations in Greek, and the general context is less determinative for meaning, as it is in the Semitic group of languages. In addition, either one, "theou anthropos" or "anthropos theou", is stylisticly correct, or, at least, if not equally correct, it is for reasons other than being considered now.   

English : Though an Indo-European lannguage, words can be somewhat flexible and precise in meaning (but nevertheless stylistic stiff), by changing word order and insertion, in this case, of the word "of". Example. "the man of God"  and " of God, the man" means the same thing but the latter is stilted. "man" and "God" have nothing to indicate which is subject, object, etc.  

English: Though an Indo-European language, English words can be somewhat flexible and precise in meaning (but nevertheless stylistically stiff), by changing word order and insertion, in this case, of the word "of". Example. "the man of God"  and " of God, the man" means the same thing but the latter is stilted: "man" and "God" have nothing to indicate which is subject, object, etc.  

Arabic (classical), as mentioned above does have case endings and so is an example of the ''mixing'' of root language consonental-determinative-for-meaning language, and more of a freedom in word order (syntax)on the "Indo-European" style Example: "Beit" means house. "Beitu"- house is nominative - subject of sentencs. "Beiti" is to or for a house, or indirect object, and "Beita" (or Beitan) is accusative or the direct object of the sentence.  "Ana mawjuud filbeit'''i''' ilkabir'''i'''" - I am in the big house (in the house, the big one) ''indirect'' object. Ana ar'a' albeit'''a''' alkabir'''a''' I see the big house (the house, the big one)- ''direct'' object. The precision that case endings give allow flexibility with full comprehension and style no matter the positioning of the words - The big house I see. I see the big house. I, the house, the big one, see.  Yet, as in Hebrew and Aramaic, the particular meaning of the words is determined by its consonental roots, rather than the vowels.

Arabic (classical), as mentioned above, does have case endings and so is an example of the ''mixing'' of root language and consonantal-determinative-for-meaning language, and more of a freedom in word order (syntax) on the "Indo-European" style. Example: "Beit" means house. "Beitu"- house is nominative - subject of sentences. "Beiti" is to or for a house, or indirect object, and "Beita" (or Beitan) is accusative or the direct object of the sentence.  "Ana mawjuud filbeit'''i''' ilkabir'''i'''" - I am in the big house (in the house, the big one) ''indirect'' object. Ana ar'a' albeit'''a''' alkabir'''a''' I see the big house (the house, the big one) - ''direct'' object. The precision that case endings give allows flexibility with full comprehension and style no matter the positioning of the words - The big house I see. I see the big house. I, the house, the big one, see.  Yet, as in Hebrew and Aramaic, the particular meaning of the words is determined by its consonental roots, rather than the vowels.

==See Also==

 

==See also==

*[[Hebrew]]

*[[Hebrew]]

*[[Aramaic]]

*[[Aramaic]]

*[[alphabet]]

*[[alphabet]]

[[Category:Languages]]

[[Category:Semitic Languages| ]]