Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/ʔalp-

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

Numeral

**Proto-Semitic numbers ^(edit)**
← 100	← 200	1,000	2,000 →
		100
Cardinal: *ʔalp-

*ʔalp-

thousand

Declension

Declension of *ʔalp-
case	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*ʔalpum	*ʔalpāna	plural stem + *-ūna
accusative	*ʔalpam	*ʔalpayna	plural stem + *-īna
genitive	*ʔalpim	*ʔalpayna	plural stem + *-īna

possessive forms
1^st person	ʔalpī / ʔalpVya	—	*ʔalpVni
2^nd person m	*ʔalpVka	ʔalpVkumā / ʔalpVkumay	*ʔalpVkum(ū)
2^nd person f	*ʔalpVki	ʔalpVkumā / ʔalpVkumay	*ʔalpVkin(ā)
3^rd person m	*ʔalpVšu	ʔalpVšumā / ʔalpVšumay	*ʔalpVšum(ū)
3^rd person f	*ʔalpVša	ʔalpVšumā / ʔalpVšumay	*ʔalpVšin(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: *ʔalpuya for nom. case, *ʔalpiya for gen. case, *ʔalpaya for acc. case, etc.

Usage notes

The term probably wasn’t strictly a certain number but meant an amount of about this number. In Ethiopian it tends to mean a myriad.

Descendants

Central Semitic:
- Arabic: أَلْف (ʔalf)
  - → Azerbaijani: əlif
  - → Classical Persian: اَلِف (alif)
    - Iranian Persian: اَلِف (alef)
    - Tajik: алиф (alif)
  - → Swahili: alifu
  - → Uzbek: alif
- Northwest Semitic:
  - Aramaic: אַלְפָּא (ʾalpā)
    - Classical Syriac: ܐܰܠܦܴ݁ܐ (ʾalpā)
  - Canaanite:
    - Hebrew: אֶלֶף ('élef, ʾélep̄)
    - Moabite: 𐤀𐤋𐤐 (ʾlp)
    - Phoenician: 𐤀𐤋𐤐 (ʾlp)
      - Punic: 𐤀𐤋𐤐 (ʾlp)
  - Ugaritic: 𐎀𐎍𐎔 (ảlp /⁠ʾalpu⁠/)
- Old South Arabian:
  - Old South Arabian: 𐩱𐩡𐩰 (ʾlf)
Ethiopian Semitic:
- Amharic: እልፍ (ʾəlf)
- Ge'ez: እልፍ (ʾəlf)
- Harari: አልፊ (ʾälfi)
- Tigre: እልፍ (ʾəlf)
- Tigrinya: እልፊ (ʾəlfi)
Modern South Arabian:
- Mehri: ʾalf, ʾāf
- Shehri: ʾelf, ʾɔf
- Soqotri: ʾalf

Noun

*ʔalp- m (plural *ʔalap-)

head of cattle

Declension

Declension of *ʔalp-
case	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*ʔalpum	*ʔalpāna	*ʔalapūna
accusative	*ʔalpam	*ʔalpayna	*ʔalapīna
genitive	*ʔalpim	*ʔalpayna	*ʔalapīna

possessive forms
1^st person	ʔalpī / ʔalpVya	—	*ʔalpVni
2^nd person m	*ʔalpVka	ʔalpVkumā / ʔalpVkumay	*ʔalpVkum(ū)
2^nd person f	*ʔalpVki	ʔalpVkumā / ʔalpVkumay	*ʔalpVkin(ā)
3^rd person m	*ʔalpVšu	ʔalpVšumā / ʔalpVšumay	*ʔalpVšum(ū)
3^rd person f	*ʔalpVša	ʔalpVšumā / ʔalpVšumay	*ʔalpVšin(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: *ʔalpuya for nom. case, *ʔalpiya for gen. case, *ʔalpaya for acc. case, etc.

Related terms

*ʔalap- (“to be familiar with”, verb)
*ʔallip- (“to tame, to domesticate; to familiarize, to instruct; to unite, to join”, verb)

Descendants

East Semitic:
- Akkadian: 𒄞 (alpum)
West Semitic:
- Central Semitic:
  - Northwest Semitic:
    - Canaanite:
      - Hebrew: אֶלֶף ('élef, ʾélep̄)
      - Phoenician: 𐤀𐤋𐤐 (ʾlp)
        Punic: 𐤀𐤋𐤐 (ʾlp)
        → Arabic: أَلِف (ʔalif) (see there for further descendants)
        → Ancient Greek: ἄλφα (álpha) (see there for further descendants)
        → Hebrew: אלף (álef)
    - Ugaritic: 𐎀𐎍𐎔 (ảlp /⁠ʾalpu⁠/)
- Modern South Arabian:
  - Soqotri: ʾalf (“heifer”)