Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/baṯan-

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

*baṯan- m

venomous serpent, adder

Inflection

Declension of *baṯan-
case	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*baṯanum	*baṯanāna	plural stem + *-ūna
accusative	*baṯanam	*baṯanayna	plural stem + *-īna
genitive	*baṯanim	*baṯanayna	plural stem + *-īna

possessive forms
1^st person	baṯanī / baṯanVya	—	*baṯanVni
2^nd person m	*baṯanVka	baṯanVkumā / baṯanVkumay	*baṯanVkum(ū)
2^nd person f	*baṯanVki	baṯanVkumā / baṯanVkumay	*baṯanVkin(ā)
3^rd person m	*baṯanVšu	baṯanVšumā / baṯanVšumay	*baṯanVšum(ū)
3^rd person f	*baṯanVša	baṯanVšumā / baṯanVšumay	*baṯanVšin(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: *baṯanuya for nom. case, *baṯaniya for gen. case, *baṯanaya for acc. case, etc.

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒈲𒊮𒉣𒇬 (bašmum), 𒈲𒊮𒌉 (bašmum), 𒁀𒀸𒈬 (bašmum)
  - → Sumerian: 𒁔 (ušum)^[1]
- Eblaite: 𒈤𒈲 (MAḪ-MUŠ /⁠baṯmum⁠/), 𒁀𒊭𒈬𒌝 (ba-ša-mu-um /⁠baṯmum⁠/), 𒁀𒊭𒉡𒌝 (ba-ša-nu-um /⁠baṯnum⁠/)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: بَثَن (baṯan)
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Aramaic:^[2]^[3]
      - Classical Syriac: ܦܱܬܢܳܐ (paṯnā)
        → Ancient Greek: βαθανηραθάν (bathanērathán)^[4]
      - Jewish Palestinian Aramaic: פתנה (*paṯnā)
      - Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: פִתנָא (piṯnā)
      - Samaritan Aramaic: ࠐࠕࠍ (pṯn)
      - → Hebrew: פֶּתֶן (péten, péṯen)^[5]
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: בָּשָׁן (bashán, bāšān)
    - Ugaritic: 𐎁𐎘𐎐 (bṯn /⁠baṯanu⁠/)
- Ethiopian Semitic:
  - Gurage:
    - Inor: ቡትየማታ (butəyämata)
    - Sebat Bet Gurage:
      - Chaha: ቡትያማት (butyamat)
      - Ezha: ቡትያማት (butyamat)
      - Gyeto: ቡትየማታ (butyämata)
      - Muher: ቡትያማት (buttəyamat)

References

Militarev, Alexander, Kogan, Leonid (2005) “*baṯan-”, in Semitic Etymological Dictionary, volume II: Animal Names, Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, →ISBN, pages 89–91 Nr. 63

^ Wiggermann, Frans A. M. (1992) Mesopotamian Protective Spirits (Cuneiform Monographs; 1)‎^[1], Groningen: STYX Publications / Brill, →ISBN, page 166
^ “ptn”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
^ Löw, Immanuel (1909) Aramäische Schlangennamen‎^[2] (in German), Szegedin, →DOI, page 16
^ In the accusative, a hapax legomenon in a fragment of the Κέστοι (Késtoi) ascribed to Sextus Julius Africanus, where it is called Syrian, and which is also seen in Löw, Immanuel (1909) Aramäische Schlangennamen‎^[3] (in German), Szegedin, →DOI, page 11
^ Wagner, Max (1966) Die lexikalischen und grammatikalischen Aramaismen im alttestamentlichen Hebräisch (Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft; 96) (in German), Berlin: Alfred Töpelmann, →ISBN, page 97

[1] Wiggermann, Frans A. M. (1992) Mesopotamian Protective Spirits (Cuneiform Monographs; 1)‎^[1], Groningen: STYX Publications / Brill, →ISBN, page 166

[2] “ptn”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–

[3] Löw, Immanuel (1909) Aramäische Schlangennamen‎^[2] (in German), Szegedin, →DOI, page 16

[4] In the accusative, a hapax legomenon in a fragment of the Κέστοι (Késtoi) ascribed to Sextus Julius Africanus, where it is called Syrian, and which is also seen in Löw, Immanuel (1909) Aramäische Schlangennamen‎^[3] (in German), Szegedin, →DOI, page 11

[5] Wagner, Max (1966) Die lexikalischen und grammatikalischen Aramaismen im alttestamentlichen Hebräisch (Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft; 96) (in German), Berlin: Alfred Töpelmann, →ISBN, page 97

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