Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ʕayn-

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

Etymology

From Proto-Afroasiatic *ʕayVn- (“eye”).

Noun

*ʕayn- f

eye
spring (of water)

Inflection

Declension of *ʕayn-
case	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*ʕaynum	*ʕaynāna	plural stem + *-ūna
accusative	*ʕaynam	*ʕaynayna	plural stem + *-īna
genitive	*ʕaynim	*ʕaynayna	plural stem + *-īna

possessive forms
1^st person	ʕaynī / ʕaynVya	—	*ʕaynVni
2^nd person m	*ʕaynVka	ʕaynVkumā / ʕaynVkumay	*ʕaynVkum(ū)
2^nd person f	*ʕaynVki	ʕaynVkumā / ʕaynVkumay	*ʕaynVkin(ā)
3^rd person m	*ʕaynVšu	ʕaynVšumā / ʕaynVšumay	*ʕaynVšum(ū)
3^rd person f	*ʕaynVša	ʕaynVšumā / ʕaynVšumay	*ʕaynVšin(ā)

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: *ʕaynuya for nom. case, *ʕayniya for gen. case, *ʕaynaya for acc. case, etc.

Declension of *ʕayn-
case	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*ʕaynum	*ʕaynāna	*ʕaynātum
accusative	*ʕaynam	*ʕaynayna	*ʕaynātim
genitive	*ʕaynim	*ʕaynayna	*ʕaynātim

possessive forms
1^st person	ʕaynī / ʕaynVya	—	*ʕaynVni
2^nd person m	*ʕaynVka	ʕaynVkumā / ʕaynVkumay	*ʕaynVkum(ū)
2^nd person f	*ʕaynVki	ʕaynVkumā / ʕaynVkumay	*ʕaynVkin(ā)
3^rd person m	*ʕaynVšu	ʕaynVšumā / ʕaynVšumay	*ʕaynVšum(ū)
3^rd person f	*ʕaynVša	ʕaynVšumā / ʕaynVšumay	*ʕaynVšin(ā)

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: *ʕaynuya for nom. case, *ʕayniya for gen. case, *ʕaynaya for acc. case, etc.

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒅆 (īnum)
- Eblaite: 𒀀𒈾𒈾 du (a-na-na /⁠ʕaynaya⁠/)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: عَيْن (ʕayn)
    - Algerian Arabic: عين (ʕīn)
    - Egyptian Arabic: عين (ʕēn)
    - Gulf Arabic: عين (ʕēn)
    - Libyan Arabic: عين (ʕīn, ʕēn)
    - Maltese: għajn
    - Moroccan Arabic: عين (ʕayn, ʕīn)
    - North Levantine Arabic: عين (ʕayn, ʕēn)
    - South Levantine Arabic: عين (ʕēn)
    - Tunisian Arabic: عين (ʕīn)
    - → Classical Persian: عَیْن (ayn)
      - Tajik: айн (ayn)
      - → Hindustani:
        Hindi: ऐन (ain)
        Urdu: عَین ('ain)
    - → Malay: عين (ain)
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Aramaic:
      - Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: עַיְנָא (ʿaynā)
      - Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܥܝܢܐ (ʿayna)
      - Classical Syriac: ܥܰܝܢܳܐ (ʿaynā)
      - Lishana Deni: אינא (ʾēna)
      - Turoyo: ܥܰܝܢܳܐ (cayno)
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: עַיִן ('áyin, ʿáyin)
      - Phoenician: 𐤏𐤍 (ʿn), 𐤏𐤉𐤍 (ʿyn)
    - Ugaritic: 𐎓𐎊𐎐 (ʿyn)
  - Old South Arabian:
    - Minaean: 𐩲𐩺𐩬 (ʿyn)
    - Qatabanian: 𐩲𐩺𐩬 (ʿyn)
    - Sabaean: 𐩲𐩺𐩬 (ʿyn)
- Ethiopian Semitic:
  - Amharic: ዐይን (ʿäyn)
  - Ge'ez: ዐይን (ʿäyn)
  - Tigrinya: ዓይኒ (ʿayni)

References

Kogan, Leonid (2015) Genealogical Classification of Semitic. The Lexical Isoglosses, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN
Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN