Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ṯin-

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

Etymology

Compare with Central Atlas Tamazight ⵙⵉⵏ (sin) and Egyptian snwj; Hurrian šini (“two”) and Proto-Nakh *ši(n) (“two”).

Numeral

**Proto-Semitic numbers ^(edit)**
← 1	2	3 →
Cardinal: *ṯin-

*ṯin-

two

Reconstruction notes

Various tentative forms are given below to account for the descendants, many of which seem to have incorporated a dual suffix. Huehnergard reconstructs the lemma as *ṯin(ā)- to reflect both the Akkadian and West Semitic roots. Testen reconstructs *ṯn-, with an initial consonant cluster, which accounts for the r forms in Aramaic and Modern South Arabian.

Inflection

Declension of *ṯin-

Case	m	f
Nominative	*ṯinum	*ṯinatum
Genitive	*ṯinim	*ṯinatim
Accusative	*ṯinam	*ṯinatam

Descendants

*ṯin-āni ~ *(i)ṯn-āni (absolute with dual suffix)[1]
- East Semitic:
  - Akkadian: 𒈫 (šinā)
- West Semitic:
  - Central Semitic:
    - Arabic: اِثْنَانِ (iṯnāni) (see there for further descendants)
    - Northwest Semitic:
      - Aramaic: תְּרַיִן (tərayin), תְּרֵין (tərēn)
      - Canaanite:
        Hebrew: שְׁנַיִם (sh'náyim, šənáyim)
        
        Phoenician: ‎𐤔𐤍𐤌 (‎šnm), 𐤀‎𐤔𐤍𐤌 (ʾ‎šnm)
      - Ugaritic: 𐎘𐎐 (ṯn /⁠ṯinā⁠/)
    - Old South Arabian:
      - Hadrami: 𐩯𐩬𐩺𐩣 (s₃nym)
  - Modern South Arabian:
    - Bathari: ṯeroh
    - Mehri: ṯroh
    - Harsusi: ṯruh
    - Hobyót: iṯroh
*ṯin-ā ~ *(i)ṯn-ā (construct with dual suffix)
- West Semitic:
  - Arabic: اِثْنَا (iṯnā)
    - Northwest Semitic:
      - Aramaic: תְּרֵי (tərē)
      - Canaanite:
        Hebrew: שְׁנֵי (sh'né, šənê)
*ṯin-t-āni ~ *(i)ṯn-at-āni (absolute with feminine and dual suffix)
- East Semitic:
  - Akkadian: 𒈫 (šittā)
- West Semitic:
  - Central Semitic:
    - Arabic: ثِنْتَانِ (ṯintāni), اِثْنَتَانِ (iṯnatāni) (see there for further descendants)
    - Northwest Semitic:
      - Aramaic: תַּרְתֵּיִן (tartayin), Aramaic: תַּרְתֵּין (tartēn)
      - Canaanite:
        Hebrew: שְׁתַּיִם (shtáyim, štáyim)
      - Ugaritic: 𐎘𐎚 (ṯt /⁠ṯittā⁠/)
  - Modern South Arabian:
    - Bathari: ṯerēt
    - Harsusi: ṯart
    - Hobyót: iṯrīt
    - Mehri: ṯrayt
*ṯin-t-ā ~ *(i)ṯn-at-ā (construct with feminine and dual suffix)
- Arabic: ثِنْتَا (ṯintā), اِثْنَتَا (iṯnatā)
*(i)ṯn̥-t-ā ~ *(i)ṯr̥-t-ā (construct with feminine and dual suffix and syncope)
- Hebrew: שְׁתֵּי (shté, štê) < *štā < *ṯtā < *ṯt-t-ā < *ṯn̥-t-ā
Unsorted formations:
- Old South Arabian: , 𐩻𐩬𐩺 (ṯny)
- Eblaite: šina

References

Richard C. Steiner (2012) “Vowel Syncope and Syllable Repair Processes in Proto-Semitic Construct Forms: A New Reconstruction Based on the Law of Diminishing Conditioning”, in Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization‎, volume 67, →ISSN, page 376

Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN
Testen, David (1985) "The Significance of Aramaic r < *n" Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 44, No. 2, pp. 143-146.

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[1] Richard C. Steiner (2012) “Vowel Syncope and Syllable Repair Processes in Proto-Semitic Construct Forms: A New Reconstruction Based on the Law of Diminishing Conditioning”, in Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization‎, volume 67, →ISSN, page 376