Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/lā

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

Etymology

Cognate with Egyptian nj (“not”).

Adverb

*lā

not

Interjection

*lā

no

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒆷𒀀 (lā)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Arabic: لَا (lā)
    - Gulf Arabic: لَأْ (laʔ, “no”), لا (la, “don't (used before imperatives)”)
    - South Levantine Arabic: لأ (laʔ), لا (la, “don't (with imperative or subjunctive)”)
    - Maltese: la, le
    - → Swahili: la
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Aramaic: לָא (lā)
      - Mandaic: ࡋࡀ (lā)
      - Classical Syriac: ܠܳܐ (lā)
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: לֹא (lo, lōʾ)
      - Phoenician: 𐤋𐤀 (lʾ /⁠lū⁠/)
    - Ugaritic: 𐎍 (l /⁠lā-⁠/)
- Modern South Arabian:
  - Mehri: لَأ (laʾ)
  - Harsusi: [script needed] (laʔ)

References

Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN, page 68

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