Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/šim-

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 *sim- (“name”). Compare with Hausa suna and Central Atlas Tamazight ⵉⵙⵎ (ism), if not borrowed from Arabic.

Noun

*šim- m

1. name

Inflection

Declension of *šim-

Case	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*šimum	*šimāna	plural stem + *-ūna
Genitive	*šimim	*šimayna	plural stem + *-īna
Accusative	*šimam
possessive forms
1st person	*šimī / *šimVya	—	*šimVni
2nd person m	*šimVka	*šimVkumā / *šimVkumay	*šimVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*šimVki		*šimVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*šimVšu	*šimVšumā / *šimVšumay	*šimVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*šimVša		*šimVšin(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: *šimuya for nom. case, *šimiya for gen. case, *šimaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *šim- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *šimuka *šimāka plural stem + *-ūka Genitive *šimika *šimayka plural stem + *-īka Accusative *šimaka Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *šim- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *šimuki *šimāki plural stem + *-ūki Genitive *šimiki *šimayki plural stem + *-īki Accusative *šimaki

Descendants

• East Semitic:
  • Akkadian: 𒈬 (šumum)
• West Semitic:
  • Central Semitic:
    • Arabic: اِسْم (ism) (see there for further descendants)
    • Northwest Semitic:
      • Aramaic:

        Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: שְׁמָא (šəmā)

        • Classical Syriac: ܫܡܳܐ (šəmā)
      • Canaanite:
        • Hebrew: שֵׁם (shem, šēm)
        • Phoenician: 𐤔𐤌 (šm)
      • Ugaritic: 𐎌𐎎 (šm /⁠šumu⁠/)
    • Old South Arabian:
      • Old South Arabian: 𐩪𐩣 (s¹m)
  • Ethiopian Semitic:
    • Amharic: ስም (səm)
    • Argobba: ስም (səm)
    • Ge'ez: ስም (səm)
    • Tigre: ስም (səm)
    • Tigrinya: ስም (səm)
  • Modern South Arabian:
    • Mehri: ham
    • Soqotri: شام (šɛm)