preserved
✎ EditEven though the exact pronunciation fluctuated significantly over dialects and centuries, we have a quite stable core in many Egyptian and Akkadian words:
In general the more syllables a recorded word has, the greater the confidence in a relative continuity of the pronunciation:
Nicely preserved and confirmed are Pharaoh names recorded though Manetho, copied many times:
English | Egyptian | Greek
Binóthris ≈ Banetjerᶥˢ 𓃝𓊹𓈖𓍷
Boethos ≈ Bedjauˢ 𓃀𓍑𓅱𓍷
Kaíechós ≈ Kakauˢ 𓍷𓂓𓂸𓂸𓂸𓍷
Sethenes ∼ Senedjˢ 𓋴𓈖𓂧𓇋𓍷
Neferkheres ≈ Neferkareˢ Νεφερχέρης 𓇳𓄤𓂓𓍷 : 𓄤 nfr 𓂓 ka 𓇳 re ☑
Soris ≈ Sneferuˢ 𓋴𓄤𓅱𓍷 𓋴𓄤𓆑𓂋 •Sofairuᶥˢ ☑
Suphis I ≈ 𓐍𓆑𓅱𓍷 Khufuˢ Khéops Χέοψ Cheops ∼ Chabryês ☑
Mencheres ≈ Menkaureˢ 𓇳𓏠𓂓𓏥𓍷 Μεγχέρης ☑
Ratoises ≈ Djedefreˢ 𓇳𓊽𓆑𓍷 Ῥατοίσης≈RaDjedef ☑!
Bicheris Bikheris ≈ Baka Bakareˢ 𓅡𓂓𓇳𓍷
Sebercheres ≈ Shepseskaf 𓀻𓊃𓊃𓂓𓆑
Usercheres ≈ Userkaf Οὐσερχέρης 𓄊𓋴𓂓𓆑
Nepherchres ≈ Neferirkareˢ 𓇳𓄤𓁹𓂓𓍷
Mencheres ≈ Menkauhorᶥˢ 𓅃𓏠𓂓𓏥𓍷
Tencheres ≈ Djedkareˢ 𓇳𓊽𓂓𓍷
Onnos ≈ Unas ☑
Phiops ≈ Pepi II ☑
Amemenes ≈ Amenemhat 𓇋 𓏠 𓈖 𓅓 𓄂 𓏏 “Amun im Herz”
Sesonchosis ≈ (sic)SenUsret 𓄊𓂋𓏏 𓊃𓈖 (𓊃 sys)
Apofis ≈ Apopi Apepi Ἄποφις 𓉼𓊪𓊪 ⇔ Apophis Apep 𓆙 ὄφις óphis
Tuthmosis ≈ Tothmosis IV 𓅝𓄟𓋴 ☑
Rampses ≈ Ramses ≈ Ramesses ≈ 𓇳 𓄟 𓋴 𓋴 Raj Moses
Many other Egyptian words have proven cognates:
| word | meaning | preserved variants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 𓃀 | foot / pod | ⲫⲁⲧ | |
| 𓄏 𒋛 | horn | ቀርን qarnu 𐀐𐀨𐀁𐀸 κεραεύς | |
| 𓈎 𓋴 𓌟 | #qrs™ | ⲕⲁⲥ kaɕe Кость > עצם ᶜetzem 𒄩𒀀𒀸𒊭 •h₃ésth₁ osteo- | |
| 𓄿 𓋴 𓐎 | viscera | > ahscha ال أحشا | |
| 𓎛 𓃀 𓅱 𓃒 | to bind | y’herbut يربط | |
| 𓎛 𓃀 𓋴 𓋳 | cloth | ϩⲉⲃⲥⲱ -ϩⲃⲱⲥ ϩⲱⲃⲥ ḫebsu ϭⲓϩⲃⲟⲥ | |
| 𓎛 𓃀 𓋴 𓋳 | cloth | ὕφασμα húphasma | |
| 𓊪 𓈎 𓏏 𓆀 𓋳 𓏥 | fine linen | פשתן pishtán | |
| 𓊪 𓈙 𓊃 𓏴 𓏛 | divide | פיצל pitz@HEB pass |
|
| 𓎼 𓂋 𓀁 | silence | خَرِسَ ḵarisa خرس ḵiris kluss χαλάω khaláō խաղաղ xałał chalāre calm ⇔ | |
| 𓎼 𓂋 𓍅 𓀁 | lie | خَرَسَ ḵarasa греша́ grešá ცრუ cruˣ ⇔ غَلَط ḡalaṭ гӏалат ग़लत galat għelt ღალატი ɣalaṭi ղալաթ | |
| 𓋴 𓅱 𓎛 𓏏 𓆱 | coffin | صُنْدُوق ṣundūq | |
| 𓎛 𓋴 𓃀 𓅱 𓐎 𓏛 | count | ħseb @ Berber ⇔ 7 sieben sieve Ziffer 0 safár סָפַר < 𐎒𐎔𐎗 spr | |
| 𓇋 𓋴 𓊪 𓏏 𓄛 | quiver | ispatu 𒅖𒉺𒌅 iš-pa-tu 𒅖𒉺𒌈 iš-pa-tum #išpatu אַשְׁפָּה ʾašpā™ 𐎜𐎘𐎔𐎚 ủṯpt | |
| 𓈖 𓊪 𓂋 𓇋 𓇡 | grain | نَفَقَ nafaqa => 𐭭𐭠𐭯𐭪 nāfag = Nabel | |
| 𓂧 𓈖 𓎛 𓆃 | wing | ⲧⲉⲛϩ ডানা ḍana ⇔ down | |
| 𓆓 𓈖 𓎛 𓆃 | wing | جَنَاح janāḥ qanat канат ganat كَنَف kanaf kanat כָּנָף kanáf ክንፍ kənf 𐎋𐎐𐎔 knp | |
| 𓂧 𓊪 𓇋 𓇋 𓆊 | crocodile | champsai tmsahh ⇔ 𓅓 𓊃 𓎛 𓆊 | |
| 𓂧 𓊪 𓏏 𓊛 | ship | ال سفينتين ship/boat@phoenicia | |
| 𓂧 𓏇 𓇋 𓊳 | (ornamental) fruit dish | thamar @AR | |
| 𓃀 𓂧 𓂧 𓅱 𓂸 𓅱 𓆰 𓏥 | water-melon | battich@AR אֲבַטִּיחַ በጢሕ => Bottich | |
| 𓃀 𓂧 𓂧 𓅱 𓂓 𓂸 𓆰 𓏥 | water melon | بِطِّيخ biṭṭīḵ paṭṭīḥā petêx ফুটি phuṭi-瓜 koe/guā | |
| 𓃀 𓃀 𓂋 | Babylon | ||
| 𓅓 𓂝 𓈙 𓂋 𓅱 𓇰 | evening | المساء masar > Messe | |
| 𓅓 𓈙 𓂝 𓀎 𓏥 | soldiers, army, infantry, gang (of workmen) | Al masha ال مشاة ⇔ march | |
| 𓏠 𓈖 𓐍 𓏏 𓍊 | willingness (of heart) | مُنْيَة munya ? | |
| 𓋴 𓎛 𓏏 𓍃 𓅪 | destroy, shatter | shatim حطّم | |
| 𓋴 𓉔 𓄿 𓇋 𓇋 𓏏 𓂻 | (v. infinitive) bring down, make to fall | shachah@HEB | |
| 𓈎 𓂝 𓎛 𓂢 | elbow, arm, shoulder | ⇔ الكتف al kahteph ? | |
| 𓈖 𓌰 𓅓 𓂝 𓁀 | go to sleep | نام nām ⇔ night | |
| 𓈖 𓍇 𓏌 𓁹 | see, look | nadzar نَظَرَ naẓara … | |
| 𓋴 𓊪 𓏏 𓂏 | lip (of mouth, vulva, | shphat الشفة AR ⇔ sparte Spalt Scheide 𓄞𓂧𓊌 | |
| 𓅓𓏱𓏏 | death, mortal… | مهرگ … מות māweṯ موت mawt الموت մահ | |
| 𓐍 𓊪 𓊪 𓇋 𓇋 𓀁 𓏪 | (pl.) strange, queer | qəribə غَرِيب ḡarīb -𐌱𐌰 | |
| 𓐍 𓏏 𓊮 | fire | ቃጥሎ ḳaṭlo => qâdach קדח … 𓊮 | |
| 𓐍 𓏏 𓅓 𓋩 𓂡 | seal | חותם khotam خَتْم ḵatm Ketten ⇔ 𓋴 𓍑 𓏏 𓅱 𓋩 signet | |
| 𓐝 𓂝 𓎼 𓄿 𓄝 | skirmisher | mnauisha مناوشة (?) | |
| 𓄿 𓊃 𓐎 | bald | أَصْلَع ʾaṣlaʿ ⇔ ash white bald eagle | |
| 𓐣 𓅱 𓂝 𓏏 𓏯 | shell (to hold ink ?) | davat@Hindi,Persi,Arab | |
| 𓂋 𓐍 𓏏 𓂝 | wash (clothes) | רָחַץ rachats | |
| 𓇋 𓄿 𓏏 𓅱 𓉔 | herds | قطيع ʔaṭīʕ עֵדֶר ‘éder | |
| 𓂧 𓇬 𓈖 𓌒 | stretch (bow) | מיד tâmîyd ? | |
| 𓃀 𓅡 𓂓 𓇼 | morning | בוקר bvaka® @Sanscrit ⇔ wake | |
| 𓇋 𓏠 𓈖 𓊿 | right (-hand), right-side, the West | yamiyn@HEB! ⇔ manual𓂝𓂜 | |
| 𓈖 𓆱 𓐍 𓏏 𓀜 𓁷 𓏤 | violent | nadach™@HEB ? | |
| 𓊶 𓊪 𓊋 𓀀 | cover | kâphâ חפף 𓊶 | |
| 𓊶 𓊪 𓏏 𓊮 | Kyphi incense | कपि kapi incense ⇔ καπνός smoke ⇔ Kaffee | |
| 𓐍 𓆑 𓂝 𓂬 𓏤 | fist | χούφτα > γροθιά אגרוף g-r-p ⇔ grab carpe capture | |
| 𓎡 𓆑 𓄿 𓄖 | back, (be)hind | خَلْفَ ḵalfa ⇔ خ ل ف ḵ-l-f •ḫalap halb 𓄂…𓄖 | |
| 𓃀 𓂓 𓇳 𓏭 | tomorrow, morning | •bvokara בֹּקֶר / בוקר bóker bwaker Wecker wake | |
| 𓃹 𓈖 𓃀 𓆰 | flower, plant | نَبَات nabāt ⇔ 𓅘 𓎛 𓃀 𓏏 𓆸 bud 𓆹 phyt | |
| 𓈖 𓊪 𓂋 𓇋 𓇡 | grain | نَفَقَ nafaqa! => 𐭭𐭠𐭯𐭪 nāfag = Nabel 𓂋 | |
| 𓈖 𓊪 𓅮 𓄿 𓅱 𓏥 𓏲 | umbilical cord | 𐭭𐭠𐭯𐭪 nāfag नाभि nā́bhi Nabel𓏲 PIE: h₃nobh-ilos | |
| 𓃀 𓅮 𓄿 𓂋 𓏤 𓎡 𓄿 𓍘 𓇋 | lake | bairkati Arabic ‘Birket’ !! بركة vs البحيرة | |
| 𓐍 𓋴 𓍙 𓆑 | opponent | خَصْم ḵaṣm ⇔ chasm +++ | |
| 𓊃 𓂓 | plow, till | skꜣ | Ar. سَكَّ sakka “to plow/strike”; Lat. sulcus “furrow”; PIE selk- “to pull, draw”; sulky |
| 𓋴 𓂝 𓄿 | make great, magnify | #sꜥꜣ | Ar. سَعَى saʿā “to strive (for greatness)”; שָׂגָא śāgā “to grow, be great” |
| 𓏏 𓍯 𓄿 𓀁 | claim | ṯꜣ | Arab. دَعْوَى daʕwā “claim, lawsuit”; दावा dāvā “claim”; Turk. dava |
| 𓐎 𓏏 𓈉 | oasis | #wt •woatis waters ⲟⲩⲁϩⲉ ouahe واحة wāḥa “oasis” |
Akkadian being a Semitic language, the correspondences are countless:
𒁕𒁍 | da-buʳ | the Bear | דבא debā
𒂊𒋛𒇻 | e-se-lu | أَشَلَّ ʾašalla | paralyze
𒅕𒁍 ir-bu | locust | אַרְבֶּה arbé
𒅕𒁀 er-ba | 𓊖 40 | ኣርባዓ ʾarbaʿa ארבעין arb‘īn אַרְבָּעִים arba’ím
𒄑 𒆪 ʕES’KUʳ عسكري ʕaskari аскер asker “soldier” ☑
…
Egyptian being an Afroasiatic language, the correspondences are many:
𓂋 𓂧 𓂾 | steps | د ر ج d-r-ʒ step ⇔ Trab, direction
𓂋 𓐍 𓏏 𓂝 | wash (clothes) | רָחַץ rakháts رَحَضَ raḥaḍa ⇔ rect… reinige rags ر ح ض r-ḥ-ḍ رَجِسَ rajisa
𓎛 𓆑 𓄿 𓅂 𓆙 | snake | Hafa أَفْعَى ʾafʿā חויא ḥewyā
𓈙 𓏏 𓅂 𓆉 | turtle | schildpad ܣܠܘܦܝܬܐ sallōp̄īṯā 𒊺𒈜𒁍 #šeleppû 𒃻𒅮𒈾 •šáˡbuna ≈ 𒊺𒂗𒅮𒈾 še-en-bun₂na PSM𓆄 𓅱 𓏏 𓏮 𓂡 | trader | #šwt সওদাগর śôwdagôr सौदागर სოვდაგარი sovdagari سوداگر sowdâgar sövdəgər
preserved proper nouns:
𓃀 𓅮 𓄿 𓂋 𓏤 𓎡 𓄿 𓍘 𓇋 lake ‘bairkati Arabic ‘Birket‘ !! بركة vs البحيرة
𓃀 𓅮 𓄿 𓂋 𓏤 𓎡 𓄿 𓍘 𓇋 Birket example of very shallow reading!
also see wanderwort
Many Sumerian and Akkadian words found their way into Semitic branches almost unchanged:
𒄑𒃶𒈾 bukānu בוכנה būḵānā “pestle”
𒌑𒌋𒌋𒁺 šam-man-du šamandar شَمَنْدَر 𒌑𒄢𒁯 u₂ sumun-dar 𒌑𒇰𒊬𒊬 sumundar “beetroot”
𒆠𒋢𒇻𒂠𒃻 KI.SU.LU.EŠ₂.GAR kisu’luešgar جيش gēš لشکر laśkar ლაშქარი laškari leşker “army”
𒉄 NAGAR נגר ܢܰܓܳܪܳܐ naggārā נַגָּרָא nagārā nagoro نجار naggār “carpenter”
𒁼 išdu ≈ 𒋗𒁺 ŠU.DU 𒁼 išdu إِشَادَة ʔišāda 𐎊𐎒𐎄 ysd ייסוד yesud “foundation, base (of building)”.
𒁄 balak פלך פֶּלֶך pélekh Akk. pilaqqu “spindle”
𒁍 gazin غُصَيْن ḡuṣayn “stick”
𒉏𒊒 nim-ru 𒊊𒌉 nemur נִמְרָא nimrā 𓃮 “leopard” 𓌳 𓅱 𓃬 •nwmrw
𒈠𒁖𒆪 madakku مِدَقَّة midaqqa “pestle”
𒄑𒃶𒈾 bukānu בוכנה būḵānā “pestle”
𒐊𒈾𒀝𒆠𒋢 inakisuʳ اِنْكَسَرَ inkásar (cut off) ⇔ Kaiser Schnitt
Hebrew Transliteration Meaning
אַתָּה ʾattā 𒀜𒋫 at-ta thou (m.)
בַּיִת bayit 𒁉 𒄿 𒌅 bi-i-tu house
בָּנָה bānā 𒁀𒉡𒌋 ba-nu-u to build
בַּעַל baʿal 𒁁𒂊𒇻 be-e-lu lord
בֶּרֶךְ berekh 𒄵𒆪 birᵉku knee
בָּרָק bārāq 𒄵𒆪 birᵃqu lightning
גָּמָל gāmāl 𒃵𒈠𒇻 gam-ma-lu camel
דִּין dīn 𒁲𒄿𒉡 di-i-nu judgment
דֶּלֶת delet 𒊑𒌅 dal-tu door
זֵכֶר zēkher 𒍨𒊒 zik-ru name
זֶרַע zeraʿ 𒍣𒊒 ze-ru seed
חָבֵר ḥāvēr 𒅁𒊒 ib-ru friend
חָם ḥām 𒂊𒈬 e-mu father-in-law
חָדָה ḥādā 𒄩𒁕𒀀 ḫa-da-a to rejoice
חָתָן ḥātān 𒄩𒋫𒉡 ḫa-ta-nu son-in-law
טוֹב ṭōv 𒁕𒀀𒁍 ṭa-a-bu good
יָד yād 𒄿𒁺 ʸi-du hand, side
יוֹם yōm 𒌋𒈬 u-mu day
יָמִין yāmīn 𒅎𒉡 im-nu right hand
יָשָׁר yāšār 𒄿𒊭𒊒 i-ša-ru righteous
כּוֹכָב kōkhāv 𒆕𒅗𒁍 kak-ka-bu star
כֶּלֶב kelev 𒆗𒁍 kal-bu dog
לֵבָב lēvāv 𒈜𒁍 lib-bu heart
לָבַשׁ lāvaš 𒆷𒁀𒋗 la-ba-šu to clothe
לָמַד lāmad 𒆷𒈠𒁺 la-ma-du to learn
לָקַח lāqaḥ 𒆷𒋡𒄷 la-qa-ḫu to take
לָשׁוֹן lāšōn 𒇷𒊭𒉡 li-ša-nu tongue
מָחַץ māḥaṣ ma-ḫa-ṣu 𒈠𒄩𒍮 smite
מֶלֶךְ melekh mal-ku 𒂷𒆪 prince
נָהָר nāhār na-a-ru 𒈾𒀀𒊒 river
נֶפֶשׁ nepheš na-piš-tu 𒈾𒆠𒀀𒌅 life
נֶשֶׁר nešer na-aš-ru 𒈾𒀸𒊒 eagle
סָחַף sāḥaph to sa-ḫa-pu 𒊓𒄩𒁍 overwhelm
עָזַב ʿāzabh to e-zi-bu 𒂊𒍣𒁍 leave
עָטַר ʿāṭar e-ṭi-ru 𒂊𒋾𒊒 protect
עַיִן ʿayin i-nu 𒄿𒉡 eye
עָלָה ʿālā e-lu-u 𒂊𒇻𒌋 high
עָפָר ʿāphār e-pi-ru 𒂊𒉿𒊒 dust
עֵץ ʿēṣ i-ṣu 𒄿𒍮 wood
עַקְרָב ʿaqrābh ak-ra-bu 𒀝𒊏𒁍 scorpion
עֹרֵב ʿōrēbh a-ri-bu 𒀀𒊑𒁍 raven
עֶרֶשׂ ʿereś ir-šu 𒅕𒋗 couch
פָּתַח pāthaḥ to pi-tu-u 𒉿𒌅𒌋 open
צֶלֶם ṣelem ṣa-al-mu 𒅕𒀠𒈬 image
קוֹל qōl cry / ḫu-u-lu 𒄷𒌋𒇻 voice
קֵן qēn ḳin-nu ?𒉡 nest
קָנֶה qāneh ḳa-nu-u 𒋡𒉡𒌋 reed
קֶרֶן qeren ḳar-nu 𒃼𒉡 horn
קֶשֶׁת qešet ḳa-aš-tu 𒋡 𒀸 𒌅 bow
רֹאשׁ rōš ri-e-šu 𒊑𒂊𒋗 head
רָכַב rākhav to ra-ka-bu 𒊏𒅗𒁍 ride
שֵׁם šēm šu-mu 𒋗𒈬 name
Egyptian words in Hebrew
𓎛 𓃀 𓋴 𓋳 •hrbs > halbis yalbis להלביש lehalbish يلبس “clothe”
𓎛 𓈖 𓇋 𓇋 𓏏 𓄢 | spear | חֲנִית khanít κοντάριον kontárion
𓅓 𓂠 𓈗 | waters | מים maim
𓋴 𓐪 𓂧 𓀀 | sail | שייט shiyét שַׁיָּט shayat שיט shait’
𓈙 𓈖 𓆓 𓏏 | Nile acacia tree | šanṭu سَنْط sanṭ •shindta > שטא שִׁטָּה shittah acacia < tasent @ Berber
𓋴 𓍑 𓏏 𓅱 𓋩 ≈ 𓂭 𓅱 𓏏 𓍶 | signet, seal | #ḏbꜥwt “signet” טַבַּעַת tabá’at
Egyptian locations
Many Egyptian locations have their names derived from ancient names:
دمنهور Damanhour 𓂧 𓏇 𓇋 𓇋 𓊖 𓏌 𓅄 domain horu “House/City/Settlement of Horus” ⲡϯⲙⲓⲛ̀ϩⲱⲣ תמנחור Temenkhūr
ابو صير Abu Sir 𓉐 𓏤 𓊨 𓁹 𓀭 Abode Osiris’
الفيوم Fayoum 𓅮 𓄿 𓇋 𓇋 𓅖 𓈗 𓈘 pa ym “The sea”
أسيوط Asyūṭ Asyut Assiout ⲥⲓⲟⲟⲩⲧ ⲥⲓⲱⲟⲩⲧ Siōwt 𓎂 𓅱 𓏏 𓊖 •Schutz “the city that protects”
أسوان ʾAswān Assouan Assuan Aswan Ⲥⲟⲩⲁⲛ Souan Syene 𓋴 𓃹 𓈖 𓏏 𓊖 swnt𓊖 Swenett “trade” 𓆄 𓅱 𓏏 𓏮 𓂡 | trader | #šwt
Tell Basta 𓎰 Bastet @ Bubastis
Al Hatnoub “place of gold” noble hut
Al-Ashmunayn Ashmunein Ashmounein 𐄎𓅱𓏌𓊖𓏏 “City of the Eight / Ogdoad” Ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Shmun 𓋉 Khemenu ḫmnw Hermoⁿpolis
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