חזיר, 'boar, hog, pig, swine'. An attempted etymology

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Isaac Fried
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Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: חזיר, 'boar, hog, pig, swine'. An attempted etymology

Post by Isaac Fried »

Yes! a גמל is a mega - animal.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: חזיר, 'boar, hog, pig, swine'. An attempted etymology

Post by Isaac Fried »

This is what Gesenius has to say about the etymology of אֶצְבַּע ECBA, 'finger':
"I. צָבַע i. q. صبغ TO DIP IN, TO IMMERSE, hence to dye, to tinge (cogn. to טָבַע, which see); whence צֶבַע something dyed, and אֶצְבַּע a finger, especially the forefinger, so called from being dipped into things, although the Arab. اصبع is written with ع."
So, is אֶצְבַּע so called because we stick it, מטביעים אותה, into our nose, or because the fingers stick מעוצבים נצבים out of the palm of the hand like עשב ESEB, 'blades of grass'?

Isaac Fried, Boston University
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