Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ʔirbay-

This Proto-Semitic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Semitic

Alternative reconstructions

*ʔarbay-

Etymology

From *ʔirb- +‎ *-ay- (“feminine suffix”).

Noun

*ʔirbay- f

locust

Inflection

Declension of *ʔirbay-

Case

Singular

Dual

Plural

Nominative

*ʔirbayum

*ʔirbayāna

plural stem + *-ūna

Genitive

*ʔirbayim

*ʔirbayayna

plural stem + *-īna

Accusative

*ʔirbayam

possessive forms

1st person

*ʔirbayī / *ʔirbayVya

—

*ʔirbayVni

2nd person m

*ʔirbayVka

*ʔirbayVkumā / *ʔirbayVkumay

*ʔirbayVkum(ū)

2nd person f

*ʔirbayVki

*ʔirbayVkin(ā)

3rd person m

*ʔirbayVšu

*ʔirbayVšumā / *ʔirbayVšumay

*ʔirbayVšum(ū)

3rd person f

*ʔirbayVša

*ʔirbayVšin(ā)

Note: the endings -m and -na are dropped in the bound form, which may also undergo syncopation of an unstressed final vowel where possible.

Note: the ending -V before the possessive endings responds to case: *ʔirbayuya for nom. case, *ʔirbayiya for gen. case, *ʔirbayaya for acc. case, etc.

Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *ʔirbay-

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ʔirbayuka	*ʔirbayāka	plural stem + *-ūka
Genitive	*ʔirbayika	*ʔirbayayka	plural stem + *-īka
Accusative	*ʔirbayaka	*ʔirbayayka	plural stem + *-īka

Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *ʔirbay-

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ʔirbayuki	*ʔirbayāki	plural stem + *-ūki
Genitive	*ʔirbayiki	*ʔirbayayki	plural stem + *-īki
Accusative	*ʔirbayaki	*ʔirbayayki	plural stem + *-īki

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒉅𒄭𒀀 (erbum) (without feminine suffix)
- Eblaite: 𒅕𒉈𒈝 (ir-bi₂-num₂ /⁠ʾerbênum⁠/), 𒉆𒆳 (BURU₅.KUR)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: إِرْبِيَان (ʔirbiyān, “shrimp”), رُوبِيَان (rūbiyān), رُوبْيَان (rūbyān), رُبْيَان (rubyān) (the former is exclusive in the first centuries of Classical Arabic)
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Aramaic:
      Old Aramaic: 𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤄 (ʾrbh)
      - Classical Syriac: ܐܰܪܒܻ݁ܝܬܳܐ (ʾarbīṯā, “shrimp”)
    - Canaanite:
      - Biblical Hebrew: אַרְבֶּה (ʾarbɛ̂)
        Israeli Hebrew: אַרְבֶּה (arbé)
    - Ugaritic: 𐎛𐎗𐎁𐎊 (ỉrby /⁠ʾirbayu⁠/)
  - Old South Arabian:
    - Sabaean: 𐩱𐩧𐩨𐩺 (ʾrby)
- Ethiopian Semitic:
  - South Ethiopian:
    - ^? Gurage:
      - Chaha: ወረባ (wäräba, “kind of cockroach”)
      - Sebat Bet Gurage: ወረባ (wäräba, “kind of cockroach”)
      - Inor: ወረቫ (wäräḇa, “kind of cockroach”)
      - Kistane: ዎራባ (woraba, “kind of cockroach”)
      - Muher: ወረባ (wäräba, “kind of cockroach”)
- Modern South Arabian:
  - Mehri: ḥarbyēt
  - Harsusi: harbēt
  - Shehri: ʾírbɔ́t
  - Soqotri: ʾerbhíyoh

References

Militarev, Alexander, Kogan, Leonid (2000) Semitic Etymological Dictionary, volumes I: Anatomy of Man and Animals, Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, →ISBN, pages 15–16, Nr. 11