Publication details
Berber year and its seasons
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2011 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Folia Orientalia |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Linguistics |
| Keywords | Berber; Afroasiatic; year; season; etymology |
| Description | The purpose of the article is to summarize and etymologize the terms designating "year" and its seasons in Berber languages. The oldest terms designating "year" and its seasons in Berber languages are forms confirmed by the external cognates in other Afroasiatic branches: *á-watáy, pl. *í-wuty-án "year" with cognates in Egyptian and probably Chadic; *HiliHan pl. "years" with possible cognates in Cushitic, Chadic and Semitic; *é-wílin, pl. *í-wílin-an "dry season" with cognates in Chadic and Egyptian; *á-nabidúH, pl. pl. *í-nabidáH "summer" is derivable from the verb attested in Egyptian. The following set of terms represents the inner Berber formations attested in more than one branch: *á-sawwás, pl. *í-sawwás-an < *-saHwás "year" : H-w-s "to pay annual tribute"; *tá-giris-t, pl. *tí-gurrás & *tí-giris-an "winter" : North Berber *á-girís "frost"; *tá-fiswíy-t, pl. *tí-fuswáy "spring" : f-s-w "to grow, bud, shoot"; *é-zirígiw, pl. *í-zirígiw-án "rainy season" : z-r-g "to go for water". |
| Related projects: |