Semitic etymology : List with all references

Number: 1921

Proto-Semitic: *ʔVm(m)-

Afroasiatic etymology: Afroasiatic etymology

Meaning: 'group of relatives; familly; clan; people'

Akkadian: ummānu 'Menschenmenge, Heer, Arbeitstruppe' OB [AHw 1413], ummatu 'Haubtmasse; Stamm-, Heimateinheit; Hauptmacht; Raubtierrudel' O-N Bab [ibid. 1414]

Ugaritic: umt 'familia, clan' [DLU 37]

Hebrew: ʔummā, ʔēm ? 'tribe, small group of people'(non-Israelite, Malamat) [Koehler new 62]

Biblical Aramaic: ʔummā 'nation' [KB 1051]

Judaic Aramaic: ʔīmmā 'distaff' [Ja 50]

Syrian Aramaic: ʔem(m)-, pl. ʔemhāt-, ʔemh- 'origo (origin; kin; patriarch) [Brock 23], ʔūmūn-, ʔūmūt- 'populus, natio' ibid. 24

Arabic: ʔumm-at- 'assemblée, foule, multitude; famille; people, nation' [BK 1 52], ʔmm 'se diriger, tendre vers un lieu; marcher en tête; prescrire, ordonner en sa qualité de chef' [ibid.]

Epigraphic South Arabian: SAB ʔmm 'to obey, be led' [SD 6], ʔm-t 'bondwoman, female vassal' [ibid. 5]

Tigre: ʔammät 'people, tribe' [LH 355] (hardly an arabism because of different vocalism)

Mehri: ʔámma 'many people' [JM 5] (rather <ARB ʕamm- or ʔummat-)

Afroasiatic etymology :

Proto-Afro-Asiatic: *ʔVm(m)-

Meaning: group of related people

Semitic: *ʔVm(m)-

Western Chadic: *ʔVm- 'friend'

East Chadic: *ʔVm- 'son-in-law, father-in-law'

High East Cushitic: *ʔam- 'companions, (relatives ?)'

South Cushitic: *ʔim- 'people'

Dahalo (Sanye): ʔame 'uncle' (?)

Notes: <*ʔam- 'mother' (No. 45)? Cf. Isosemantic row 'mother - people': Beja enda, énde 'mother' [СИФКЯ 137] - enda 'people' [ibid. 148].

West Chadic etymology :

Proto-WChadic: *ʔVm-

Afroasiatic etymology: Afroasiatic etymology

Meaning: 'friend'

Kulere: ʔamà- [JgR]

Notes: Cf. sura-ang gr. *(n)yem '(group of ) people' [TAS:414]> Angas nyam 'clan name', Mupun nyēm fwō 'peer group', Sura yɛ̀m mɔ́ 'people', Goemay yiem 'name of a small tribe', Gerka nì-yìwòm 'Mensch' ['vowels obscure; back formation from the collective pl.' GT]. However, Mupun is definately related to (if not derived from) nyè mó 'mates, fellows' (mo is a pl. marker) [FrM]. Sura yénan 'old people' (nan 'big, great') [JgS] also points to original *yV. Given that Gerka and Yiwom is one and the same language, nì-yìwòm 'Mensh' is simly the tribe-name preceded by the 3rd sg. demonstr. (ni). Thus, nyam, yiem, yiwom are names of different tribes only, but not the sura-angas word for 'people'.

East Chadic etymology :

Proto-EChadic: *ʔVm-

Afroasiatic etymology: Afroasiatic etymology

Meaning: 'son-in-law, father-in-law'

Mokilko: ʔéèmé , pl. ʔâmḅí [JgMkk]

High East Cushitic etymology :

Proto-High East Cushitic: *ʔam-

Afroasiatic etymology: Afroasiatic etymology

Meaning: 'companions, (relatives ?)'

Sidamo: il-ama 'relative' (il- 'to give birth') [Huds HECD 122]

Hadiya (Gudella): aam 'компаньоны, партнеры, союзники' [Huds 22]

Kambatta: il-amu 'relative' (il- 'to give birth') [Huds HECD 122]

South Cushitic etymology :

Proto-South Cushitic: *ʔimu-

Afroasiatic etymology: Afroasiatic etymology

Meaning: 'people' 1, 'crowd' 2

Iraqw (Mbulu): imi, mu 1

Alagwa (Wasi): imi 2

Burunge (Mbulungi): im-et 1

Qwadza (Ngomvia): meʔiko 1

Ma'a (Mbugu): Cf. mmú 'person', vamú 1

Notes: Ehr HRSC 160; 294-5