Seven Neo-Mandaic Lexemes and their Ancient Antecedents

The present article discusses seven selected lexical findings in Neo-Mandaic (NM), one of the rarest and most seriously endangered Semitic languages. All are shown to be inherited Aramaic words and meanings not attested in literary Mandaic sources. Comparative examination of cognates in literary Ara...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Mutsafi, Ḥezi 1968- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2022
In: Orientalia
Year: 2022, Volume: 91, Issue: 3, Pages: 317-333
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Parallel Edition:Non-electronic
Description
Summary:The present article discusses seven selected lexical findings in Neo-Mandaic (NM), one of the rarest and most seriously endangered Semitic languages. All are shown to be inherited Aramaic words and meanings not attested in literary Mandaic sources. Comparative examination of cognates in literary Aramaic languages such as Jewish Babylonian Aramaic, as well as cognates in some of the modern Aramaic varieties, are adduced to establish the Aramaic provenance of these NM lexemes. It is only by virtue of these modern Mandaic lexical manifestations and their cognates that the existence of their pre-modern Mandaic antecedents can be inferred and reconstructed. The seven lexical items in question are added to dozens of such cases of NM lexemes inherited from hitherto unattested ancient Mandaic etyma that have already been discussed in previous studies. The lexicological coverage of NM and its rich Aramaic legacy is thus enhanced, along with unveiling seven more unattested ancient Mandaic words and meanings which still linger on in NM guise.
ISSN:3041-3648
Contains:Enthalten in: Orientalia
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.2143/ORI.91.3.3293014