Reconstruction:Proto-Berber/a-mur

This Proto-Berber 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-Berber

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Afroasiatic?

Proto-Semiticder.

Egyptian mrḥ (/⁠murḥa⁠/)bor.?

Proto-Berber *a-mur

Either inherited from Proto-Afroasiatic, or borrowed from Egyptian mrḥ (“lance”), which itself is considered to be a loanword from an undetermined Semitic language. Compare Ugaritic 𐎎𐎗𐎈 (mrḥ, “spear, lance”), Akkadian 𒊍𒈠𒊒 (azmarû, “spear, lance”), and Beja malkḁ (“spear”).

Noun

*a-mur m (plural *i-mur-ăn)

1. spear, arrow
2. portion, part

Notes

The semantic shift from "spear, arrow" to "portion, part" is due to shares being traditionally allocated by drawing lots using sticks or lances (cf. Tarifit tasɣart (“stick, portion”), and also Arabic سَهْم (sahm, “arrow, share, portion”)).

Descendants

• Northern Berber:
  • Atlas:
    • Central Atlas Tamazight: ⴰⵎⵓⵔ (amur, “portion, allotment”)
    • Medieval Tashelhit: اَمُورْ (amur, “spear”)
      • Tashelhit: amur (“portion, goad, arrow”)
  • Kabyle: amur (“part, portion”)
  • Zenati:
    • Northern Saharan Berber: (Figuig) amur (“portion”)
    • Tachawit: amur (“portion, share”)
• Tuareg:
  • Tamahaq: ămor (“arrow”)
  • Tamasheq: ămor (“arrow”)
  • Tawellemmet: ǝṃur (“arrow”)

References

• Marijn van Putten (2011), Nouns of the CVC and CC type in Berber (Thesis), The Netherlands: Leiden University, page 41