Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ʕayn-

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

Noun

*ʕayn- f

1. eye
2. spring (of water)

Inflection

Declension of *ʕayn-

Case	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ʕaynum	*ʕaynāna	plural stem + *-ūna
Genitive	*ʕaynim	*ʕaynayna	plural stem + *-īna
Accusative	*ʕaynam
possessive forms
1st person	*ʕaynī / *ʕaynVya	—	*ʕaynVni
2nd person m	*ʕaynVka	*ʕaynVkumā / *ʕaynVkumay	*ʕaynVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*ʕaynVki		*ʕaynVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*ʕaynVšu	*ʕaynVšumā / *ʕaynVšumay	*ʕaynVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*ʕaynVša		*ʕaynVšin(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: *ʕaynuya for nom. case, *ʕayniya for gen. case, *ʕaynaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *ʕayn- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *ʕaynuka *ʕaynāka plural stem + *-ūka Genitive *ʕaynika *ʕaynayka plural stem + *-īka Accusative *ʕaynaka Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *ʕayn- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *ʕaynuki *ʕaynāki plural stem + *-ūki Genitive *ʕayniki *ʕaynayki plural stem + *-īki Accusative *ʕaynaki

Declension of *ʕayn-

Case	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ʕaynum	*ʕaynāna	*ʕaynātum
Genitive	*ʕaynim	*ʕaynayna	*ʕaynātim
Accusative	*ʕaynam
possessive forms
1st person	*ʕaynī / *ʕaynVya	—	*ʕaynVni
2nd person m	*ʕaynVka	*ʕaynVkumā / *ʕaynVkumay	*ʕaynVkum(ū)
2nd person f	*ʕaynVki		*ʕaynVkin(ā)
3rd person m	*ʕaynVšu	*ʕaynVšumā / *ʕaynVšumay	*ʕaynVšum(ū)
3rd person f	*ʕaynVša		*ʕaynVšin(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: *ʕaynuya for nom. case, *ʕayniya for gen. case, *ʕaynaya for acc. case, etc. Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *ʕayn- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *ʕaynuka *ʕaynāka *ʕaynātuka Genitive *ʕaynika *ʕaynayka *ʕaynātika Accusative *ʕaynaka Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *ʕayn- Singular Dual Plural Nominative *ʕaynuki *ʕaynāki *ʕaynātuki Genitive *ʕayniki *ʕaynayki *ʕaynātiki Accusative *ʕaynaki

Descendants

• East Semitic:
  • Akkadian: 𒅆 (īnum)
  • Eblaite: 𒀀𒈾𒈾 du (a-na-na /⁠ʕaynaya⁠/)
• West Semitic:
  • Central Semitic:
    • Arabic: عَيْن (ʕayn)
      • Algerian Arabic: عين (ʕīn)
      • Egyptian Arabic: عين (ʕēn)
      • Gulf Arabic: عين (ʕēn)
      • Libyan Arabic: عين (ʕīn, ʕēn)
      • Maltese: għajn
      • Moroccan Arabic: عين (ʕayn, ʕīn)
      • North Levantine Arabic: عين (ʕayn, ʕēn)
      • South Levantine Arabic: عين (ʕēn)
      • Tunisian Arabic: عين (ʕīn)
      • → Classical Persian: عَیْن (ayn)
        • Tajik: айн (ayn)
        • → Hindustani:

          Hindi: ऐन (ain)

          Urdu: عَین ('ain)

      • → Malay: عين (ain)
    • Northwest Semitic:
      • Aramaic:

        Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: עַיְנָא (ʿaynā)

        • Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܥܝܢܐ (ʿayna)
        • Classical Syriac: ܥܰܝܢܳܐ (ʿaynā)
        • Lishana Deni: אינא (ʾēna)
        • Turoyo: ܥܰܝܢܳܐ (cayno)
      • Canaanite:
        • Hebrew: עַיִן ('áyin, ʿáyin)
        • Phoenician: 𐤏𐤍 (ʿn), 𐤏𐤉𐤍 (ʿyn)
      • Ugaritic: 𐎓𐎊𐎐 (ʿyn)
    • Old South Arabian:
      • Minaean: 𐩲𐩺𐩬 (ʿyn)
      • Qatabanian: 𐩲𐩺𐩬 (ʿyn)
      • Sabaean: 𐩲𐩺𐩬 (ʿyn)
  • Ethiopian Semitic:
    • Amharic: ዐይን (ʿäyn)
    • Ge'ez: ዐይን (ʿäyn)
    • Tigrinya: ዓይኒ (ʿayni)

References

• Kogan, Leonid (2015) Genealogical Classification of Semitic. The Lexical Isoglosses, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN
• Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN