Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ṯ̣upr-

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

*ṯ̣upr- or *ṯ̣ipr- m

nail
claw

Inflection

Declension of *ṯ̣upr-
case	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*ṯ̣uprum	*ṯ̣uprāna	plural stem + *-ūna
accusative	*ṯ̣upram	*ṯ̣uprayna	plural stem + *-īna
genitive	*ṯ̣uprim	*ṯ̣uprayna	plural stem + *-īna

possessive forms
1^st person	ṯ̣uprī / ṯ̣uprVya	—	*ṯ̣uprVni
2^nd person m	*ṯ̣uprVka	ṯ̣uprVkumā / ṯ̣uprVkumay	*ṯ̣uprVkum(ū)
2^nd person f	*ṯ̣uprVki	ṯ̣uprVkumā / ṯ̣uprVkumay	*ṯ̣uprVkin(ā)
3^rd person m	*ṯ̣uprVšu	ṯ̣uprVšumā / ṯ̣uprVšumay	*ṯ̣uprVšum(ū)
3^rd person f	*ṯ̣uprVša	ṯ̣uprVšumā / ṯ̣uprVšumay	*ṯ̣uprVšin(ā)

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: *ṯ̣upruya for nom. case, *ṯ̣upriya for gen. case, *ṯ̣upraya for acc. case, etc.

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒌢 (ṣuprum)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: ظُفْر (ẓufr), ظُفُر (ẓufur), ظِفْر (ẓifr)
    - Egyptian Arabic: ضفر (ḍufr)
    - Gulf Arabic: ظفر m (ḏ̣ifir)
    - Hijazi Arabic: ظفر m (ḍifir, ḏ̣ifir)
    - Maltese: difer m
  - Aramaic: טֻפְרָא (ṭuprā)
    - Classical Syriac: ܛܶܦ݂ܪܳܐ (ṭeprā)
    - → Israeli Hebrew: טֹפֶר m (tófer, ṭṓfer)
  - Canaanite:
    - Hebrew: צִפֹּרֶן f (tsippóren, ṣippṓren)
- Ethiopian Semitic:
  - Amharic: ጥፍር (ṭəfər)
  - Ge'ez: ጽፍር (ṣəfr)
  - Sebat Bet Gurage: ጥፍር (ṭəfər)
  - Tigrinya: ጽፍሪ (ṣəfri)
  - Tigre: ጽፍር (ṣəfər)
- Modern South Arabian:
  - Mehri: ḏ̣éfɛ́r
  - Shehri: śɛ́fər, ɛśpɔ́r
  - Soqotri: ṭifer

References

Kogan, Leonid (2011) “Proto-Semitic Lexicon”, in Weninger, Stefan, editor, The Semitic Languages. An International Handbook (Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft – Handbooks of Linguistics and Communication Science; 36), Berlin: De Gruyter, →ISBN, page 224
Leslau, Wolf (1991) Comparative Dictionary of Geʿez (Classical Ethiopic), 2nd edition, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, →ISBN, page 549