I thought that chemar was clay, not chomer. That's what they said in kindergarten, I'm pretty sure.
Alkalai does offer "clay" for chemar as well.
Many of the words mentioned belong to two roots in Arabic, these roots correspond to: chet-mem-resh; and kaf(without a dot=CH in Bach)-mem-resh. To the first root belong the words related to the color 'red'. To the 2nd root belong words related to fermentation (leaven, wine...). The two first letters of the two roots are different letters in Arabic, and, therefore, I find it difficult to accept the linkage (between leaven, wine, on the one hand, and red...on the other) that the article suggests.
Stahl does list the two roots seperately. However, are the two chet like letters so different that there couldn't be any influence from one to the other? We see that some letters in Hebrew switch with others. Does that no happen in Arabic with similar sounding letters?
The sounds of those two first letters are totally different to the Arab ear (although the shape of those two letters are similar, in fact together with gimmel. The difference between the three is the nikkud).
My answer to your question is I don't know. My initial reaction is that I don't know of examples. But while I am writing this, I thought of the word gimmel-mem-resh, which means red buring coal or wood (when the flame is extinguished and it is hot red. Is there a link with the Hebrew meaning: finish, end...?). the difference in the shape of this word and the root of Arabic 'red=het-mem-resh)' is one dot inside the first letter. Is there a link between the two words? My initail reaction is 'no', but then there is the redness link between the two!
I am sorry for all this rambling, I don't know.
Kevin - the meaning of gmr גמר as burning coal is any interesting one, and should get its own post.
Commenting by HaloScan
