𐡀𐡓𐡌𐡉𐡀
Old Aramaic
Afro-Asiatic (Northwest Semitic, Aramaic) · historical / hidden variety
Old Aramaic is the earliest attested stage of the Aramaic language (c. 900–700 BCE), known from monumental inscriptions of Aramean kingdoms in Syria and Upper Mesopotamia — most famously the Tel Dan stele (mentioning the “House of David”), the Sefire treaties, and the Hadad and Panamuwa inscriptions of Sam’al. It preserves archaic Northwest Semitic features later lost in Imperial Aramaic, including remnants of internal passive vocalisation and an as-yet unreduced consonantal inventory. Written in a Phoenician-derived alphabet, Old Aramaic was the ancestor of every subsequent Aramaic variety and, via the Imperial Aramaic chancery script, of the Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic, Mongolian and Manchu writing systems.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Old Aramaic
Sources
- Folmer, M. L. (1995). The Aramaic Language of the Achaemenid Period: A Study in Linguistic Variation. Peeters.
- Gzella, H. (2015). A Cultural History of Aramaic: From the Beginnings to the Advent of Islam. Brill.
- Fitzmyer, J. A. (1995). The Aramaic Inscriptions of Sefire. Biblical Institute Press.
- Glottolog: Old Aramaic (up to 700 BCE)
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Afro-Asiatic (Northwest Semitic, Aramaic)
| Meaning | Old Aramaic | Aramaic | Punic | Phoenician | Classical Syriac | Proto-Semitic | Sabaean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | מין /majin/ | ܡܝܐ /majjaː/ | 𐤌𐤌 /meːm/ | 𐤌𐤌 /meːm/ | ܡܝܐ /majjaː/ | *māʔ- /māʔ/ | 𐩣𐩥 /maw/ |
| Fire | נור /nuːr/ | ܢܘܪܐ /nuːraː/ | 𐤀𐤔 /ʔeʃ/ | 𐤀𐤔 /ʔeʃ/ | ܢܘܪܐ /nuːraː/ | *ʔiš- /ʔiš/ | 𐩱𐩪 /ʔas/ |
| Sun | שמש /ʃamʃ/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃemʃaː/ | 𐤔𐤌𐤔 /ʃameʃ/ | 𐤔𐤌𐤔 /ʃameʃ/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃemʃaː/ | *šamš- /šamš/ | 𐩦𐩣𐩪 /ʃams/ |
| Moon | שהר /sahr/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahraː/ | 𐤉𐤓𐤇 /jeraħ/ | 𐤉𐤓𐤇 /jaraħ/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahraː/ | *warḫ- /warḫ/ | 𐩥𐩧𐩭 /warχ/ |
| Star | כוכב /kawkab/ | ܟܘܟܒܐ /koːχβaː/ | 𐤊𐤊𐤁 /koːkab/ | 𐤊𐤊𐤁 /koːkab/ | ܟܘܟܒܐ /kawkβaː/ | *kawkab- /kawkab/ | 𐩫𐩨𐩫𐩨 /kabkab/ |
| Night | לליא /leːljaː/ | ܠܠܝܐ /leljaː/ | 𐤋𐤋 /lajl/ | 𐤋𐤋 /lajl/ | ܠܠܝܐ /lelja/ | *layl- /lajl/ | 𐩡𐩺𐩡 /lajl/ |
| Rain | 𐡌𐡈𐡓 /maːtˤar/ | ܡܛܪܐ /miˈtˤraː/ | 𐤌𐤈𐤓 /maˈtˤar/ | 𐤌𐤈𐤓 /maˈtˤar/ | ܡܛܪܐ /maˈtˤraː/ | *maṭar- /maṭar/ | 𐩹𐩬𐩣 /ðanam/ |
| Snow | 𐡕𐡋𐡂 /talɡ/ | ܬܠܓܐ /talɡaː/ | — | — | ܬܠܓܐ /talɡaː/ | *ṯalg- /θalɡ/ | — |
| Wind | 𐡓𐡅𐡇 /riːħ/ | ܪܘܚܐ /ˈruħaː/ | 𐤓𐤅𐤇 /ruːħ/ | 𐤓𐤇 /riːħ/ | ܪܘܚܐ /ˈruħɔ/ | *rīḥ- /riːħ/ | — |
| Earth | 𐡀𐡓𐡒 /ʔarq/ | ܐܪܥܐ /ʔarʕaː/ | 𐤀𐤓𐤑 /ʔarsˤ/ | 𐤀𐤓𐤑 /ʔarsˤ/ | ܐܪܥܐ /ʔarʕɑ/ | *ʔarṣ̂- /ʔarsˤ/ | 𐩱𐩧𐩳 /ʔardˤ/ |
| Stone | אבן /ʔaben/ | ܐܒܢܐ /ʔaβnaː/ | 𐤀𐤁𐤍 /ʔaben/ | 𐤀𐤁𐤍 /ʔaben/ | ܟܐܦܐ /keːpaː/ | *ʔabn- /ʔabn/ | 𐩱𐩨𐩬 /ʔabn/ |
| Mother | אמ /ʔem/ | ܐܡܐ /ʔemmaː/ | 𐤀𐤌 /ʔem/ | 𐤀𐤌 /ʔem/ | ܐܡܐ /ʔemmaː/ | *ʔimm- /ʔimm/ | 𐩱𐩣 /ʔumm/ |
| Father | אב /ʔab/ | ܐܒܐ /ʔabbaː/ | 𐤀𐤁 /ʔav/ | 𐤀𐤁 /ʔab/ | ܐܒܐ /ʔabbaː/ | *ʔab- /ʔab/ | 𐩱𐩨 /ʔab/ |
| Daughter | ברת /bart/ | ܒܪܬܐ /bartaː/ | 𐤁𐤕 /bat/ | 𐤁𐤕 /bat/ | ܒܪܬܐ /bartaː/ | *bint- /bint/ | 𐩨𐩬𐩩 /bint/ |
| I | אנה /ʔanaː/ | ܐܢܐ /ʔanaː/ | 𐤀𐤍𐤊 /ʔanoːk/ | 𐤀𐤍𐤊 /ʔanoːkiː/ | ܐܢܐ /ʔenaː/ | *ʔanāku /ʔanāku/ | 𐩱𐩬 /ʔana/ |
| You | אנת /ʔantaː/ | ܐܢܬ /ʔatt/ | 𐤀𐤕 /ʔatta/ | 𐤀𐤕 /ʔatta/ | ܐܢܬ /ʔat/ | *ʔanta /ʔanta/ | 𐩱𐩬𐩩 /ʔanta/ |
| We | אנחנא /ʔanaħnaː/ | ܐܢܚܢܢ /ʔanaħnan/ | 𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤍 /ʔanaħnu/ | 𐤀𐤍𐤇𐤍 /ʔanaħnu/ | ܚܢܢ /ħnan/ | *niḥnu /niħnu/ | — /—/ |
| Name | שם /ʃum/ | ܫܡܐ /ʃmaː/ | 𐤔𐤌 /ʃem/ | 𐤔𐤌 /ʃem/ | ܫܡܐ /ʃmaː/ | *šim- /šim/ | 𐩪𐩣 /sim/ |
| Person | אנש /ʔenaːʃ/ | ܐܢܫܐ /ʔnaːʃaː/ | 𐤍𐤐𐤔 /nefeʃ/ | 𐤀𐤃𐤌 /ʔadam/ | ܐܢܫܐ /ʔnaːʃaː/ | *ʔināš- /ʔinaːʃ/ | 𐩱𐩬𐩪 /ʔins/ |
| Eye | עין /ʕajn/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajnaː/ | 𐤏𐤍 /ʕajin/ | 𐤏𐤍 /ʕajin/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajnaː/ | *ʕayn- /ʕayn/ | 𐩲𐩺𐩬 /ʕajn/ |
| Ear | 𐡀𐡃𐡍𐡀 /ʔuðnaː/ | ܐܕܢܐ /ʔedˈnaː/ | 𐤀𐤆𐤍 /ʔuzn/ | 𐤀𐤆𐤍 /ʔuzn/ | ܐܕܢܐ /ʔedˈnɑ/ | *ʔuḏn- /ʔuðn/ | 𐩱𐩹𐩬 /ʔuðn/ |
| Nose | אפא /ʔappaː/ | ܢܚܝܪܐ /nħiːraː/ | — | — | ܢܚܝܪܐ /nħiːrɔ/ | *ʔanp- /ʔanp/ | — |
| Mouth | פם /pum/ | ܦܘܡܐ /pumːaː/ | 𐤐 /peː/ | 𐤐 /peː/ | ܦܘܡܐ /puːmaː/ | *pay- /paj/ | 𐩰𐩣 /fam/ |
| Tooth | שנא /ʃenːaː/ | ܫܢܐ /ʃenːaː/ | 𐤔𐤍 /ʃen/ | 𐤔𐤍 /ʃen/ | ܫܢܐ /ʃenːaː/ | *šinn- /ʃinː/ | 𐩦𐩬 /ʃinː/ |
| Tongue | לשנא /liʃːaːnaː/ | ܠܫܢܐ /liʃːaːnaː/ | 𐤋𐤔𐤍 /laʃon/ | 𐤋𐤔𐤍 /laʃon/ | ܠܫܢܐ /liʃːaːnaː/ | *lišān- /liʃaːn/ | 𐩡𐩪𐩬 /lisaːn/ |
| Hand | יד /jad/ | ܐܝܕܐ /ʔiːðaː/ | 𐤉𐤃 /jad/ | 𐤉𐤃 /jad/ | ܐܝܕܐ /ʔiːðaː/ | *yad- /yad/ | 𐩺𐩵 /jad/ |
| Foot | רגל /reɡel/ | ܪܓܠܐ /reɡlaː/ | 𐤐𐤏𐤌 /paʕam/ | 𐤐𐤏𐤌 /paʕam/ | ܪܓܠܐ /reɡlaː/ | *rigl- /rigl/ | 𐩧𐩴𐩡 /riɡl/ |
| Heart | לב /leb/ | ܠܒܐ /lebbaː/ | 𐤋𐤁 /lib/ | 𐤋𐤁 /lib/ | ܠܒܐ /lebbaː/ | *libb- /libb/ | 𐩡𐩨 /lubb/ |
| Bone | גרמא /ɡarmaː/ | ܓܪܡܐ /ɡarmaː/ | 𐤏𐤑𐤌 /ʕasˤm/ | 𐤏𐤑𐤌 /ʕasˤm/ | ܓܪܡܐ /ɡarmaː/ | *ʕaṯ̣m- /ʕaθˤm/ | 𐩲𐩼𐩣 /ʕaðˤm/ |
| Blood | דמא /dmaː/ | ܕܡܐ /dmaː/ | 𐤃𐤌 /dam/ | 𐤃𐤌 /dam/ | ܕܡܐ /dmaː/ | *dam- /dam/ | 𐩵𐩣 /dam/ |
| Love | רחם /raħem/ | ܚܘܒܐ /ħubbaː/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ܚܘܒܐ /ħubbaː/ | — /—/ | 𐩥𐩵𐩵 /wadda/ |
| Tree | עץ /ʕeːsˤ/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ʔiːlaːnaː/ | 𐤏𐤑 /ʕesˤ/ | 𐤏𐤑 /ʕesˤ/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ʔiːlaːnaː/ | *ʕiṣ́- /ʕiṣ́/ | 𐩲𐩳 /ʕaːdˤ/ |
| Dog | כלב /kalb/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalbaː/ | 𐤊𐤋𐤁 /kalb/ | 𐤊𐤋𐤁 /kalb/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalbaː/ | *kalb- /kalb/ | 𐩫𐩡𐩨 /kalb/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | ܫܘܢܪܐ /ʃunnaːraː/ | — /—/ | 𐤔𐤍𐤓 /ʃunaːr/ | ܫܘܢܪܐ /ʃunnaːraː/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | נונא /nuːnaː/ | ܢܘܢܐ /nuːnaː/ | 𐤃𐤂 /daɡ/ | 𐤃𐤂 /daɡ/ | ܢܘܢܐ /nuːnaː/ | *nūn- /nuːn/ | — /—/ |
| Bird | צפר /sˤippar/ | ܨܦܪܐ /sˤefraː/ | 𐤑𐤐𐤓 /sˤippor/ | — | ܦܪܚܬܐ /paːˈraħtaː/ | *ʕuṣṣūr- /ʕuṣṣūr/ | — |
| Egg | ביעתא /beːʕtaː/ | ܒܝܥܬܐ /beːʕtaː/ | — | — | ܒܥܬܐ /beːʕtɔ/ | *bayṣ́at- /bayṣ́at/ | — |
| Bear | דבא /dubbaː/ | ܕܒܐ /debbaː/ | — | — | ܕܒܐ /debaː/ | *dubb- /dubb/ | — |
| House | בית /beːt/ | ܒܝܬܐ /bajtaː/ | 𐤁𐤕 /beːt/ | 𐤁𐤕 /beːt/ | ܒܝܬܐ /bajθaː/ | *bayt- /bayt/ | 𐩨𐩺𐩩 /bajt/ |
| Honey | דבשא /debʃaː/ | ܕܒܫܐ /deβʃaː/ | 𐤍𐤐𐤕 /nofet/ | — | ܕܒܫܐ /deβʃaː/ | *dibš- /dibʃ/ | — /—/ |
| Salt | מלח /melaħ/ | ܡܠܚܐ /melħaː/ | — | — | ܡܠܚܐ /melħaː/ | *milḥ- /milħ/ | 𐩣𐩡𐩢 /milħ/ |
| Wine | חמרא /ħamraː/ | ܚܡܪܐ /ħamraː/ | 𐤉𐤍 /jeːn/ | 𐤉𐤍 /jeːn/ | ܚܡܪܐ /ħamrɔ/ | *wayn- /wajn/ | — |
| Iron | פרזל /parzel/ | ܦܪܙܠܐ /parzlaː/ | 𐤁𐤓𐤆𐤋 /barzel/ | 𐤁𐤓𐤆𐤋 /barzel/ | ܦܪܙܠܐ /parzlaː/ | — | — |
| Wheel | גלגל /ɡalɡal/ | ܓܝܓܠܐ /ɡiɡlaː/ | — | 𐤂𐤋𐤂𐤋 /ɡalɡal/ | ܓܝܓܠܐ /ɡiːɡlaː/ | — | — |
| Eat | אכל /ʔakal/ | ܐܟܠ /ʔaːχel/ | 𐤀𐤊𐤋 /ʔakal/ | 𐤀𐤊𐤋 /ʔakal/ | ܐܟܠ /ʔeχal/ | *ʔakal- /ʔakal/ | — /—/ |
| Drink | שתה /ʃataː/ | ܫܬܐ /ʃtaː/ | 𐤔𐤕 /ʃat/ | 𐤔𐤕 /ʃat/ | ܐܫܬܝ /ʔeʃtiː/ | *šatay- /šatay/ | 𐩪𐩩𐩺 /sataja/ |
| Sleep | דמך /damek/ | ܕܡܟ /dmeχ/ | — | — | ܕܡܟ /dmeχ/ | — | — |
| One | חד /ħad/ | ܚܕ /ħað/ | 𐤀𐤇𐤃 /ʔeħad/ | 𐤀𐤇𐤃 /ʔeħad/ | ܚܕ /ħað/ | *ʔaḥad- /ʔaḥad/ | 𐩱𐩢𐩵 /ʔaħad/ |
| Two | תרין /treːn/ | ܬܪܝܢ /treːn/ | 𐤔𐤍𐤌 /ʃnem/ | 𐤔𐤍𐤌 /ʃnem/ | ܬܪܝܢ /treːn/ | *ṯin- /ṯin/ | 𐩻𐩬𐩺 /θanay/ |
| Three | תלת /tlaːt/ | ܬܠܬ /tlaːθ/ | 𐤔𐤋𐤔 /ʃaloːʃ/ | 𐤔𐤋𐤔 /ʃaloʃ/ | ܬܠܬ /tlaːt/ | *ṯalāṯ- /θalaːθ/ | 𐩻𐩡𐩻 /θalaːθ/ |
| Four | ארבע /ʔarbaʕ/ | ܐܪܒܥ /ʔarbaʕ/ | 𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤏 /ʔarbaʕ/ | 𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤏 /ʔarbaʕ/ | ܐܪܒܥ /ʔarbaʕ/ | *ʼarbaʻ- /ʔarbaʕ/ | 𐩱𐩧𐩨𐩲 /ʔarbaʕ/ |
| Five | חמש /ħamːeʃ/ | ܚܡܫ /ħamːeʃ/ | 𐤇𐤌𐤔 /ħameʃ/ | 𐤇𐤌𐤔 /ħameʃ/ | ܚܡܫ /ħamːeʃ/ | *ḫamš- /χamʃ/ | 𐩭𐩣𐩪 /xams/ |
| Hundred | מאה /maː/ | ܡܐܐ /maː/ | 𐤌𐤀𐤕 /miʔat/ | 𐤌𐤀𐤕 /miʔat/ | ܡܐܐ /maː/ | *miʾat- /miʔat/ | 𐩣𐩱𐩩 /miʔat/ |
| Hello | שלם /ʃəlaːm/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlaːmaː/ | 𐤔𐤋𐤌 /ʃaloːm/ | 𐤔𐤋𐤌 /ʃalom/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlaːmaː/ | — /—/ | 𐩪𐩡𐩣 /salaːm/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | ܬܘܕܝ /tawdiː/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ܫܘܒܚܐ /ʃubħaː/ | — /—/ | 𐩢𐩣𐩵 /ħamad/ |
| Good | טב /tˤab/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤaːβaː/ | 𐤈𐤁 /tˤob/ | 𐤈𐤁 /tˤob/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤaːβaː/ | *ṭāb- /ṭāb/ | — /—/ |
| Red | סמק /summaːq/ | ܣܘܡܩܐ /sumqaː/ | 𐤀𐤃𐤌 /ʔadom/ | 𐤀𐤃𐤌 /ʔadom/ | ܣܘܡܩܐ /sumːaqaː/ | *ʔadam- /ʔadam/ | — /—/ |
| White | חור /ħewːaːr/ | ܚܘܪܐ /ħewwaːraː/ | 𐤋𐤁𐤍 /laban/ | 𐤋𐤁𐤍 /laban/ | ܚܶܘܳܪܳܐ /ħewɔːrɔ/ | *laban- /laban/ | — |
| Green | ירק /jraːq/ | ܝܘܪܩܐ /jaroːqaː/ | — | — | ܝܘܪܩܐ /jawrqaː/ | *waraḳ- /waraq/ | — |
| Blue | זרק /zraːq/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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