Traces of Laryngeals in the Gurage Dialect of Endege

Author(s): Wolf Leslau

Reviewed work(s):
Source: Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 30, No. 3 (Jul., 1971), pp. 218-224
Published by: The University of Chicago Press
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TRACES OF LARYNGEALS IN THE GURAGE

DIALECT OF ENDEGEv
WOLF LESLAU,

Universityof California,Los Angeles

1. The Proto-Semitic1 laryngeals c h h and the velar h are preserved in Geez.

In Tigre and Tigrinya h and h2 coalesced into .3 In the South Ethiopian languages of
Amharic, Argobba, Harari, Gafat, and Gurage, the laryngeals are only partially preserved. Thus, Amharic has only h;4 Argobba has h, 4hand ';5 Harari has h and 1;6 and
Gafat has h.7 Gurage on the whole behaves like the other South Ethiopian languages,
but in some Gurage dialects8 the laryngeal and the velar h left traces in the treatment
of the verb in its various forms. This is the case in Ennemor9 and EndegeAiof Western
Gurage.
In order to analyze the treatment of the verbs originally having an initial, medial, or
final laryngeal or h, Amharic will be taken as point of departure. In Amharic, the laryngeals and the velar h become zero. As a result, verbs originally having an initial laryngeal
or h have now only a vocalic initial in Amharic. Examples: ammdnd, "trust," G. 'amnd;
alldqd, "be finished," G. halqd.

Likewise as a result of the loss of the laryngeals and of the velar h, the triradical verbs
with a medial or final original laryngeal or h became biradicals in Amharic. Examples
with medial laryngeal or h: Geez sdcamd, "kiss," became in Amharic sama, from *sadCamd
> *sdama > samd; Geez
"swallow," became in Amharic watd, from
*wdha.td
wa~hf.td,
>
with
a final laryngeal or h: Geez fdtha, "open," became in
> watd. Examples
*wda.td
Amharic fdtta, from *fdttdha > *fdttda > fdtta; Geez rdgca, "coagulate," became in
Amharic rdgga from *rdggdca > *rdggda > rdgga.

The verbs of a particular verbal class will have the same conjugation, regardless of
the nature of the original laryngeal. Thus all the verbs of the class ammdnd have the
c '
h h or h;
imperfect yaman regardless of whether the initial radical was an original
the verbs of the class samd have the imperfect ya8sam,
regardless of whether the second
radical was an original laryngeal c h 4hor a velar h; and the verbs of the class sdmma
have an imperfect yasdma, regardless of whether the third radical was an original
c'
hhorh.
Such is not the case in Endegeni,where the laryngeals and the velar h left their traces
in the constitution of the verbs and in their conjugation. The treatment of the ancient
1 The
Amh.

languages

= Amharic,

are

abbreviated

G. = Geez,

as

Te. = Tigre,

follows:
Tna.

Tigrinya.
2 There is in Tigrinya a velar x (representing the
pronunciation of h), but this x is allophone of k.
Indeed, in intervocalic and postvocalic
position
/k/ becomes x; thus, kdPe, "refuse," but yaxdllZ , "he
refuses." This sound is, therefore, in no connection
with Proto-Semitic h.
3 Tigre and Tigrinya cannot, therefore, be used as
sources of etymologies for an original h.
4 Amharic h can also go back to an ancient k, as in
hond, "be." G. kond; hod, "stomach," G. kdbd, and

others. For more examples, see F. Praetorius, Die

amharische Sprache, p. 69.
5 See Annales d'Ethiopie, 3 (1959), 252.
6 See Annales d'Ethiopie, 2 (1957), 150.
7W. Leslau, Etude descriptive et comparative du
gafat, pp. 17-18.
8 The
Ennemor,
Gurage cluster includes (aha,
E.a,
Soddo,
EndegeiX, Gyeto, Muher, Masqan, Gogot,
Selti, Wolane, and Zway.
9 See "Traces of the Laryngeals in the Ethiopic
Dialect of Ennemor". Orientalia, 28 (1959), 257-70;
abbreviated Ennemor.

218

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IN THE GURAGEDIALECTOF ENDEGEr

LARYNGEALS

219

laryngeals and of h in Endegeni comes the closest to that of Ennemor,1? but at times
Endegeni shows less consistency than Ennemor.

2. Before going into the analysis of the verbs with an original laryngeal or h it should
be pointed out that Endegeii has a considerable number of verbs with an initial h, but
this h represents an original k. Examples: ho'yd, "spill," (G. kdcawd), a-hdbbddd,"honor,
respect" (Amh. kdbbddd, "be heavy"), hamdttdtd, "become contracted and tough" ((aha
xamdtdtd-m, from the root kmtt), hdnd, "be, become" (G. kond), hdnnd, hdnndwd, "spend
a year or a certain period of time" (Amh. kdrrdmd, "spend the rainy season"), hdtna,
"forbid, hinder" (G. kdl'a), hdnna, "invite, call" (G. kdlha), td-hneppd, "cover the head
with a cloth" (Amh. td-kdnanndbd), hend, "dig" (G. kdrdyd), hard, "know" (G. kahald),
hdtta'a, "abjure, betray" (G.
hdttdrd, "thatch a house" (Amh. kddddnd), tdkahadd),
hettdrd, "follow" (Amh. td-kdttdld).11

3. There is also a glottal stop in Endegeii whose origin is not necessarily a laryngeal
or h, but a glottalized q

.t (d)

or

c.12

The verbs whose ' originates from a glottalized

consonant in the present study are: nd'a, "exceed" (Amh. laqd), fd'd, "tan, scrape"
(Amh. faqd), annd:d, "be ended, be finished" (G. halqd), a:dwd, "wash one's body"
Amh.

(G.

w&2d, "swallow" (Amh. watd).

at.tdbd),
ha.dbd,discussing
Before
the specific examples I would like to state that most of the verbs
given here are of the type A, that is, a type that corresponds morphologically to the
first form of Arabic or Hebrew qal. In Endegefi, some verbs of this type have the gemination of the second radical in the perfect and imperfect while in others the second
radical is not geminated. A more detailed study of these verbs will be given elsewhere.
4. VERBS WITH AN ORIGINAL LARYNGEAL OR h

4.1. Verbs with an original initial laryngeal c h h or h have in Endegeni the same form
in the perfect regardless of the nature of the original consonant. Thus, ammdrd, "believe,
trust," root 'mn; akkddd, "bind, tie," root cqd; ass8dbd,"think," root hsb; attdgd, "throw

to the ground," root Mdg.

There are, however, two patterns in the other verb forms. They are: 1. akkddd,
imperfect a'agd,13 jussive d~dgdd4;2. attdgd, imperfect &dag,jussive ddaqg.

These patterns are conditioned by the nature of the original consonant. The verbs
with an original : or c have Pattern 1. There is no consistency, however, for the verbs
with an original initial h or h
o10See

n. 9.

11 I do not record here the nouns nor the verbs

for which I have no comparison.
12 For the influence of Sidamo concerning this
feature, see Language, 28 (1952), 68.
13 A second radical voiceless
k t s p of the perfect
that goes back to an original voiced reappears as
voiced (g d z b or w) in the imperfect and jussive of
Type A. As for n as second radical of the perfect, it
becomes r in the imperfect and jussive if it goes back
to 1 or r; it remains n if it goes back to n. The verbs of
this study showing this treatment are: akkddd:alagd
(4.2); akkard:dgar (4.3.6); wadkkdad:wagd (6.3.1);
ndkkd:lc:rdga (6.3.2); attagd:ddgg (4.3.3); battd:gbddd
(6.2.4); gattala:agddd (6.3.3); hatta:a:ahddd (6.3.3);

assdrd:dzar (4.3.2); ndssd: ndzd (6.2.2); sdppd: sdwd

(6.2.1). For the treatment of the verbs of the pattern
ndssala with the second radical pp, see n. 35. Verbs
whose second radical n goes back to n that keep the
n in the imperfect are: andqd:alanq (4.3.4); qdtna:
qqdn'd (6.1.2); qdnnd:gqdnd (6.2.2). Verbs whose
second radical n goes back to 1 or r that have r in the
imperfect are: anndrd:drgr (4.3.2); annawa:drgw
(4.3.2); anndad:drq& (4.3.5); hdtna: hdr'd (6.1.1);
(6.1.1); zdtna: zdre'd (6.1.1); bdtna: wdr'd
tatna:
hdnnd: hard (6.2.1).
(6.1.2); .tar'd
14 The forms of the imperfect and jussive are
given
for nearly all the verbs to show the treatment of the
various radicals in the verb forms.

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220

JOURNAL OF NEAR EASTERN STUDIES

S 4.1.1. In Ennemor, the imperfect a'agd is the pattern of verbs with an original initial
or c, whereas the imperfect &dgis the pattern of verbs with an original initial h or h.
Concerning the original initial h or h, there is more consistency in Ennemor than in
Endegeni.15
4.2. Pattern akkdidd,imperfect a'ag(a)d
The pattern of the imperfect a'ag(a)dl6 is the pattern of verbs with an original initial
Sor c. Thus, andsd, "be little, be less": imperf. adans,juss. d:dns (G. naDas8d,
with metathesis); akkddd, "bind, tie": imperf. adagd,juss. d:dgd (G. caqddd).
4.3. Patterns akkddd(adagd)and attdgd (ddag)
In verbs with an original h or h, both patterns occur, that is, imperfect a'agd and adag.
With an original h, I recorded the same number of verbs with either pattern. With an
original h, I recorded two verbs of the a'agd pattern and four verbs of the adagpattern.
Considering the fact that the verbs with an original h whose pattern is adag are more
numerous than the verbs that have an imperfect adagqdand, in view of Ennemor where
the verbs with an original h have consistently the imperfect ddag, it is probably safe to
state that verbs with an original h have in Endegeli normally the imperfect ddag.
4.3.1. Verbs with an original initial h of the a'agd pattern: af&sd,"take a large quantity
of grain or flour or earth with both hands": imperf. adafs, juss. didfs (G. hafdsd, "snatch
away"); assdba, "think, be pensive": imperf. a:assab, juss. ddssab (G. hasdbd);azzdind,
"be sad, be pensive": imperf. adazzan, juss. dddzzan (G. hazdnd); akkdwd or akkd,17"to
cup": imperf. aakkaw, juss. d~dkkaw(Te. agma,with an original h, in view of Arabic

haagma).

4.3.2. Verbs with an original initial h of the adag pattern: asdsd, "sweep": imperf.
89s, juss. asas (G. hasdyd, "rub", Tna. hasa-sd, "wipe, rub"); anndrd, "be charred up,
dry up": imperf. drar, juss. drdr (G. hardrd);assdrd, "carry on the back, carry loads on
the head or shoulders": imperf. dzar, juss. dzdr (G. hazdld); anndwd or annd,18 "milk":
imperf. draw, juss. draw (G. haldbd).

4.3.3. A verb that has the imperfect of both patterns is: akdkd, "scratch when it
itches": imperf. a'akak or dkak, juss. d:dkak or dkak (G. hakdkd).

4.3.4. Verbs with an original initial h of the a'agd pattern: andqd, "strangle, choke":
imperf. a:anq, juss. d:dnq (G. handqd); attdmd, "seal": imperf. adattam,juss. d~dttam
(G. Ahatdmd).

4.3.5. Verbs with an original initial h of the adag pattern: anndid, "be ended, be
finished": imperf. draD,juss. drdV19
(G. halqd);attdgd,"throw on the ground, throw down":
imperf. adag, juss. ddag (G. haddgd); antd, "cut, slaughter": imperf.

.t (for dnt), juss.

d.t,
"cut"); a:dwd, "wash the body or an object": imperf. daw, juss. daw

for dnt (G.

(G. ha4dbd).har.ds,

4.3.6. Without a North Ethiopian etymology: akkdrd, "raise cattle, breed cattle":
imperf. dgar, juss. dgar; aqqd, "count": imperf. dqqaw, juss. dqqaw.
15 See Ennemor, pp. 261-62.
16 The imperfect as well as the jussive can have
final consonant clusters depending on the two final
consonants. I did not record sufficient examples
to determine the conditions of the final clustering.
17 In Endegeit an
originally non-geminated m is
spirantized into *m, w, and the syllable awa can be
reduced to a.

18 An originally non-geminated b is spirantized

into *b, w, and the syllable dwd can be reduced to a.
19 There are two jussive patterns in
Endegeii: 1.
a transitive pattern dkatf; 2, an intransitive pattern
atraf. The situation is the same in (aha and in
For more details, see "The Jussive in Chaha," LanE.a.
guage, 40 (1964), 53-57; "The Jussive in E.a,"

Journal of Semitic Studies, 12 (1967), 66-82.

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IN THE GURAGEDIALECTOF ENDEGET

LARYNGEALS

221

5. VERBS WITH AN ORIGINAL SECOND LARYNGEAL OR h

Verbs with an original second laryngeal' c h h or h have three patterns for the perfect
as well as for the imperfect and jussive. The patterns are: 1. hard,imperf. ahir, juss. dhar;
2. dard, imperf. addr, juss. dddr; 3. sa'ard, imperf. a8sd'dr,juss. asa'ar.

In the patterns hard and ddrd, the original second radical became zero whereas in
sd'ardthe original second radical is represented as '.
5.1. Pattern hard
The pattern hard is the pattern of three verbs with an original second radical h two
of which also lose their h in Geez in their imperfect.20 The verbs are: hard, "know":
imperf. ahir, juss. dhar (G. kahald, imperf. yqkal); bard, "say": imperf. 5n (from *aban
> *qwan > in), juss. dwar (G.
imperf. yqbal); sard, "be beautiful": imperf. Air,
bqhaldi,
juss. d8ar (G. td-4dhald, "be merciful").

The only verb with an original second radical h that has another pattern is nd'd,
"exceed," for which see 5.2.4.21

In Ennemor the pattern is xard (imperf. yax'ir) for this kind of verb.22
5.2. Pattern ddrd
The pattern dard is the pattern of verbs with an original second radical h or h. In

Ennemor the pattern is likewise dard.

5.2.1. Verbs with an original second radical h: fd'd, "tan, scrape": imperf. afiW,juss.
dfd' (G. fdhaqd); gqfd, "take as much as possible with one or both hands": imperf. ag?df,
juss. dgqf (G. gdhafd, "snatch away");23 mdrd, "forgive, have pity": imperf. 9mir, juss.
dmar (G. mdhard); n&sd, "lick": imperf. qnds, juss. ands (G. ldhasd); qdmd, "eat a ground
"write": imperf.
substance": imperf. qqdim,juss. dqam (G. qdhamd, qdmha, "feed");
.tfd,
a.tdf,juss. dt.f (G. sdhafd); ddqd, "laugh": imperf. addq, juss. dddq (undoubtedly connected
with G.
s'aaqd).24

5.2.2. Verbs with an original second radical h: ddrd, "bless": imperf. qddr,juss. dd&r
wd&d,
(G. ddhard); ddtd, "run over something": imperf.
(G.
juss.
dd.t
da~.add);
qd.t,
"swallow": imperf. qwdi, juss. dwd' (G.
wdhatd).
wa~a.td,

5.2.3. There are verbs of the pattern dard for which there is no Geez etymology.
However, Tigre or Tigrinya or a Semitic language other than Ethiopic shows a second
radical h which could represent either an ancient h or h. The verbs are: gand, "be redhot"

"nibble the
qgdin,juss. agan (Amh. gald, Hebrew gahal, "charcoal");
g.td,
flesh from the bone": imperf.
Tna.
kasd,
(Te. gdhata,
juss.
gdhasd);
"compen:215 imperf.

agd.t,
dgt.
Tna. kdhasd); qgrd, "feel acidity of the
sate, pay": imperf. akds, juss. dkads(Te. kdhasa,
20 C. Conti Rossini, Grammatica elementare della
lingua etiopica (1941), p. 73. On this form in the other
West Gurage dialects, see JAOS, 71 (1951), 224.
21 In
Ennemor, p. 264 I also included in this
pattern Ennemor gdrd, "be red-hot," and connected
it with Tigre gdhara, "burn (charcoal)." However,
in view of Amh. gald, "be red-hot," Ennemor gard
and Endegei gaina are probably to be connected with
Hebrew gahal, "charcoal."
22Ennemor,
p. 265.

23
In Ennemor, p. 265 I did not suggest any comparison.
24The etymology of daqd, "laugh," is intriguing.
While it is undoubtedly to be connected with G.
"laugh," Amh. saqd, the correspondence
is not regular. One is tempted to consider Arabic
9Sh.qd,
d:d(s)
dahika whose d may have some connection with d
of daqd.
25 One would
expect gard; see also n. 21.

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222

JOURNAL OF NEAR EASTERN STUDIES

stomach": imperf. aqir, juss. aqar (Te. Tna. qdhar, "acidity of the stomach");
.tasd,
"violate the law": imperf.
(Tna.
juss.
dtas
9.tas,
.tdhasd).
5.2.4. The only verb with an original h that has the pattern ddrd is: ne'd, "exceed":
imperf. and',juss. dndn (G. lahaqd).

For the other verbs with original second radical h, see 5.1.
5.2.5. While the greatest number of verbs with an original second radical c have the
pattern saard (see 5.3), there are two verbs with an original second Cthat have the pattern
dard. They are:
"taste good": imperf.
(G.
juss.
.tmd,
9.tim,
d.tm
.tacamd,.tdcamd); &ind,
"load": imperf.
juss. dain (G. s8dcand).
9.dn,
a Semitic etymology: ga-dd, "be hungry," g&rd, "remove the
5.2.6. Verbs without
beeswax from the beehive,"
"evaluate, estimate," nagd, "suck the breast of the
m.td,
sheep or goat while tending it," s8add,"pay," amd, "lead a horse or a mule,"26 zdfd,

"drag" (perhaps connected with Arabic zahafa, "crawl"),zanmd,"covet, wish ardently."

5.3. Pattern saWard
The pattern s8a'ardis the pattern of verbs with an original second radical ' or
Ennemor the pattern is likewise s8a'ard.

C.

In

5.3.1. Verbs with an original second radical D":

ba'a8d, "become worse, be bad": imperf.
dwa'a827
awd'ds, juss.
(G. baDasd);sa8ard, "beg, implore": imperf. 9sd'dr, juss. d8sa'ar
(G. s8dald).
5.3.2. Verbs with an original second radical c: ga'azd, "move to another place":
imperf. qgd'diz,juss. dga'az (G. g'acazd, gdqcazd); sacamd, "kiss": imperf. asd'dim,juss.
dsaDam (G. 8acamd); 8a'ard, "abolish, dismiss": imperf. 99d'dr, juss. d8a'ar (G. sacard,
s9acarqd);wa'ard, "spend the day": imperf. qwdDr,juss. dwa'ar (G. wdcald).
For verbs with an original second radical c that have the pattern ddrd, see 5.2.5.
5.3.3. Without a Semitic etymology: nd'azd, "be heavy": imperf. qnddz, juss. dna'az.
5.3.4. Summary. Verbs with an original' or Chave the pattern sa'ard (5.3). Verbs with

an original second radical h have the pattern hard (5.1). Verbs with an original second
radical 4hor &have the pattern dlrd (5.2).
6.

VERBS WITH AN ORIGINAL THIRD LARYNGEAL

OR h

Verbs with an original third laryngeal c h h or h have three patterns. They are: 1. zdtna,
imperf. azdr'd, juss. dzar'd; 2.
imperf. andtd, juss. dntd; 3. ndssa'a, imperf. andsd,
nd.t.td,
juss. ansda.
In the patterns zdtna and
the original third radical became zero whereas in the
nd.t.td

pattern nas8sa'athe original third radical is represented as :.

6.1. Pattern zdtna

The pattern zdtna (imperfect azdr'd)is the pattern of verbs whose originalthird radical

was : or c. In the verbs whose original third radical was c, the second radical is n (pronounced In) or m (pronounced Pm). In verbs whose third radical was ', only examples
with third radical n are attested. For verbs whose second radical is a consonant other
than n, see 6.3.
21 In
Ennemor, p. 264 I connected the verb with
Semitic and Ethiopic sahb,"drag", but the comparison
seems to be doubtful.

27The
W,.

intervocalic

b becomes

spirantized

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into

LARYNGEALS IN THE GURAGE DIALECT OF ENDEGENr

223

In Ennemor, the pattern of this verbal class is bdn'a.

6.1.1. Verbs whose third radical was :: hdtna, "forbid, hinder": imperf. ahdr'd,juss.
dhar:'d(G. kdal'a);28 tdtna, "hate, dislike": imperf.
juss.
(G. sdl'a, also sadlca,
atdr'd,
dtar'd
but Te. Tna. only
with :); zdtna, "sow": imperf.
gzdr'd, juss. dzar'd (G. zdr'a).
6.1.2. Verbs whose
.sl, third radical was c: bdtna, "eat": imperf. qwdr'd, juss. 5r'd29 (G.
"be
bdlca); qdtna,
generous":imperf.aqdn'd,juss. dqar'd(perhapsTna. qdnce,"be straight");
"hear":
(G. sdma); ndPma, "flourish, prosper": imperf.
imperf. 9sa'd, juss. s3
sdPma,
and:)d,juss. dnq`31 (Tna. ldmce, "blossom," G. ldmldmd).

6.1.3. Without a North Ethiopian etymology: ddtna, "conceive, be coupled": imperf.

addr*d,juss. ddar')d;fdtna, "have intercourse": imperf. qfdr'd, juss.

sdtna, "arrive,
dfard;
reach": imperf. qsdr'd, juss. dsarad.

6.2. Pattern
ndt.td
is the pattern
of verbs whose original radical was
The pattern
(imperfect
and.td)
ndt.td
of
have
verbs
this
the second radical geminated.
or
Note
that
all
the
pattern
4h h.
In Ennemor the pattern is fdtd.
6.2.1. Verbs whose third radical was h: fdtt&, "untie, dissolve": imperf. qfddd, juss.
dfdd32 (G. fdtha); hdnn&, "invite, call": imperf. ghdrd, juss. dhard (G. kdlha, "cry out");

"be white": imperf. qndtd, juss. dnta (G. ndsha); sdppa, "become more, become
augmented": imperf. gsdwd, juss. d8sawd(G. sdbha, "be fat").
The only verb with the second radical non-geminated is: fdla33 "boil": imperf. afdld,
juss. adfld(G. falha).
6.2.2. Verbs whose third radical was h: ndss8, "scatter, sprinkle powdery things":
imperf. andzd, juss. dnzd (G. ndzha); ndff&, "blow an instrument": imperf. gndfd, juss.
dnfd (G. ndf a).
ndt.td,

6.2.3. There is one verb with an original third radical : and one verb with an original
third radical C that have the pattern
They are: qdnna, "envy, be jealous": imperf.
ndt.td.
"be
suffice":
for

aqdnd, juss. dqand (G. qdn'a); bdqqd,

*dbqd, *dwqd (G. bdqwca,"be useful").

enough,

imperf. qwdqd, juss. dqqd

Normally the verbs with an original :or C have the pattern zdtna (6.1) or ndssa'a (6.3).
6.2.4. Verbs without a North Ethiopian etymology: bdtt&,"take, take away": imperf.
awddd, juss. dttd (for dbdd); gdmmd, "be blunt"; imperf. admd (Te. Tna. and Amh. have
the root dm-dm); qdrr&, "read": imperf. qqdrd, juss. dqard (from Arabic qara'a).
6.3. Pattern ndssa8a

The pattern ndssa:a (imperfect andsd) is the pattern of verbs whose original third
radical was : or c and whose second radical is a consonant other than n or m. The verbs
that have this pattern are of type A, but their second radical is geminated.
In Ennemor, the normal pattern of this verbal class is fdqa, but many verbs of this
verbal class have the pattern fdtd.34
6.3.1. Verbs whose third radical was :: gwddda*a, "harm": imperf. qg'wddd,juss. dgwdd
28See ? 2.
29

See n. 27.

30

The nasal m brought about the nasalization

the vowel.
31
32

of

See n. 30.

Since the root isfth (with t) one would not expect

the alternance t (perfect): d (imperfect, jussive).

33This is also one of the few verbs with 1as second

radical, since normally an originally geminated 1
becomes n. It is probably an Amharic loanword even
though one would expect the form falla, with geminated 1.
34Ennemor, pp. 266-67.

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224

JOURNALOF NEAR EASTERNSTUDIES

(G. gqddwa, Tna. gqodde); gdppa'a, "enter": imperf. aqgdd,juss. dga'd35 (G. gdb'a, "return");
gdzza'a, "govern, administer": imperf. agdzd, juss. dgzd (Te. gdz'a, G. 'agzi', "master");
ndssa'a, "lift, raise": imperf. andsd, juss. dnsd (G. nds'a); wdkka'a, "pierce": imperf.
awdgd, juss. dgd for *dwgd (G. wdg'a, Tna. wdg'e).

6.3.2. Verbs whose third radical was C: ddffa'a, "turn over to the side": imperf. addfd,
juss. ddfa (G. ddfca, "push"); gdffa'a, "push": imperf. agdfd, juss. dgfd (G. gdf'a and

gdfCa, Te. Tna. gfC); ndkka'a, "coagulate": imperf. andgd, juss. dngd (G. rdgqa); tdppa'a,

"be cruel, be tough": imperf. atd'd, juss. dta:d (G. tdbca, "be firm").
6.3.3. The verbs whose third radical was h have normally the pattern nd.tt (see 6.2.1),
but there are two verbs whose third radical was h that have the pattern ndssa'a. They
are: gdtta'a, "draw water from a container": imperf. agddd,juss. adgdd(G. qddha);hdtta'a,
with metathesis).
"abjure, betray": imperf. ahdd, juss. dhadd(G. kah4add,
It so happens that both verbs have a second radical t, but the verb fdtta, "untie," also
has a second radical t, and yet the pattern is fatt&. Consequently, it is not the second
radical that is likely to justify one or another pattern.
6.3.4. Verb without a North Ethiopian etymology: qdppa:a, "fold, bend": imperf.
aqd:d, juss. dqaad.
6.3.5. Summary. Verbs with an original third radical or c and whose second radical
is n (pronounced tn) or m (pronouncedPm) have the pattern zdtna (6.1).
Verbs with an original third radical ' or c but whose second radical is a consonant
other than n or m have the pattern ndssa'a (6.3).
Verbs with an original third radical h or h have the pattern
(6.2).
nd.t.d
7. LARYNGEALS IN SEMITIC

In Ennemor 269-70 I traced briefly the situation of the laryngeals on Hebrew and

Akkadian. I should like to mention also Arabic where the glottal stop , is treated differently from c, h, or h. Indeed, in the so-called fourth form of Arabic, that is, the stem
with ' losing its consonant value thus
becomes &dtara,
with an initial :, the form *DaVtara
causing the lengthening of the preceding vowel a into a.

Ennemor and Endegeii thus contribute their share in our analysis of the Semitic
laryngeals.
35 The verbs of the
pattern nassa a with pp as
second consonant that goes back to bb, lose the b in
the imperfect and jussive and keep instead the .
Thus, gappa'a, "enter": agdd'; tappala, "be cruel":
& (6.3.4). In
atda (6.3.2); qdppa'a, "fold, bend":qqd

Ennemor too, the verb gqapa,"enter," of the pattern

fdqa, has the imperfect yagb:la, jussive igabba, with
the glottal stop, as against faqa, imperfect yofaqa,
jussive dfqa (Ennemor, p. 266).

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