Proto-Afro-Asiatic: *ʔam-
Meaning: forearm, arm, hand
Notes: Cf. HSED, 33 *ʔam- 'hand, arm': Sem; WCh. ( also quoted are Bgh am-ŝi and Geji wom-ẑi, but without any evidence demonstrating that the -ŝi/ẑi element is a suffix or part of a composed stem). Actually 'arm', not 'hand'. The comment "Related to *ʔam- "catch, seize" (for the semantic development cf., for example, Lith ranka "hand" ~ rinkti "grasp, seize")" is wrong as the meaning of both Semitic and WCh. nominal roots points not to 'hand', but to 'arm/forearm/elbow'. The meaning 'hand' is ascribed to the reconstructed root by the authors under the influence of their own idea of relation with "catch, seize". A typical vicious circle of argumentation.
