Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ʔatān-

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

*ʔatān- f

female donkey, jenny

Inflection

Declension of *ʔatān-

Case

Singular

Dual

Plural

Nominative

*ʔatānum

*ʔatānāna

*ʔatānātum

Genitive

*ʔatānim

*ʔatānayna

*ʔatānātim

Accusative

*ʔatānam

possessive forms

1st person

*ʔatānī / *ʔatānVya

—

*ʔatānVni

2nd person m

*ʔatānVka

*ʔatānVkumā / *ʔatānVkumay

*ʔatānVkum(ū)

2nd person f

*ʔatānVki

*ʔatānVkin(ā)

3rd person m

*ʔatānVšu

*ʔatānVšumā / *ʔatānVšumay

*ʔatānVšum(ū)

3rd person f

*ʔatānVša

*ʔatānVšin(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: *ʔatānuya for nom. case, *ʔatāniya for gen. case, *ʔatānaya for acc. case, etc.

Declension of 2sg m. possessive form (your/thy m.) *ʔatān-

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ʔatānuka	*ʔatānāka	*ʔatānātuka
Genitive	*ʔatānika	*ʔatānayka	*ʔatānātika
Accusative	*ʔatānaka	*ʔatānayka	*ʔatānātika

Declension of 2sg f. possessive form (your/thy f.) *ʔatān-

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*ʔatānuki	*ʔatānāki	*ʔatānātuki
Genitive	*ʔatāniki	*ʔatānayki	*ʔatānātiki
Accusative	*ʔatānaki	*ʔatānayki	*ʔatānātiki

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒊩𒀲 (atānum)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: أَتَان (ʔatān)
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Aramaic: אֲתָנָא (ʾăṯānā), אַתָּנָא (ʾattānā)
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: אָתוֹן ('atón, ʾāṯôn)
    - Ugaritic: 𐎀𐎚𐎐𐎚 (ảtnt /⁠ʔatānatu⁠/)

References

Militarev, Alexander, Kogan, Leonid (2000–2005) Semitic Etymological Dictionary, Münster: Ugarit-Verlag
Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN