Shalom,

Just wondering if this is related to the Hindu incantation:
SIM, SIM, SALABIM?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadji_Singh
BarTalmei Limetree | Homepage | 10.15.07 - 7:36 pm | #

"c.1440, probably from M.Fr. sisame, from L. sesamum (nom. sesama), from Gk. sesamon (Doric sasamon) "seed or fruit of the sesame plant," via Phoenician from Late Babylonian *shawash-shammu (cf. Assyrian shamash-shammu "sesame," lit. "oil-seed"


Oil-seed? Then why shouldn't we consider the Hebrew SHEMen?
Phil | 10.16.07 - 8:13 am | #

Hebrew shemen is cognate with Akkadian shamnu. But the Hebrew word for sesame came from the Akkadian, so that's the etymology presented.
Dave (Balashon) | Homepage | 10.16.07 - 8:27 am | #

Very nicely presented, Dave.

... Only, the clip with "mild language" (does that mean he doesn't use strong words?) really isn't funny...
Joel | Homepage | 10.16.07 - 3:30 pm | #

Maybe it's American humor. I think he's one of the best comedians ever. (The images on the screen aren't his; the original clip was only audio.)
Dave (Balashon) | Homepage | 10.16.07 - 3:55 pm | #

You're right... it's a bit better with my eyes closed! =)
Joel | Homepage | 10.16.07 - 5:43 pm | #

Hi there...
The link attached shows a Hebrew conversation from my Ubuntu Translation Forum discussing the correct form of the word Password in Hebrew
Showing some other sources and other facts than you described
Actually is also appears that there is some decision made by the Academy to change the last Alef of any Aramaiac borrowed words
For example: Mortgage - Mashaknta (משכנתא), should now be written as משכנתה replacing the last Alef with Heh...

The sources appear to be the word שיסמא which related to the term code (צופן) please enlight me with your comments!

Best regards,
--- Yaron, Hebrew translator
yaron | Homepage | 11.03.07 - 2:43 pm | #

Hi David,

Regarding the vocalization, this is fairly common regarding words that come from Aramaic; in Aramaic they end with aleph, but in modern Hebrew with a heh. The siman for this is that the plural has the heh revert to an aleph before the vav tav ending.

קופסה קופסאות
סימתה סימתאות
דוגמה דוגמאות
כורסה כורסאות

of course I'm sure there are Aramaic purists out there that would do even the singular with the aleph at the end of singular.

I have a dictionary that shows the words with both heh and alephs as alternate usages and then -a-ot and -ot endings, indicating both are considered "valid", but I believe it is more common to see the "Aramaic-ness" only in the plural.
Gedaliah | Homepage | 11.11.07 - 9:03 am | #