The West Semitic languages are a proposed major sub-grouping of Semitic languages . The term was first coined in 1883 by Fritz Hommel .
4-506: Gidara ( West Semitic for wall) was an ancient city in northern Mesopotamia . It was located at the upper course of the Khabur river north of Guzana . At the beginning of the 10th century BC the city was under Assyrian control. When Aramaic tribes moved into northern Mesopotamia, one of them, called Temanites by the Assyrians, managed to snatch the city from Assyrian control under
8-623: The extinct Eblaite and Akkadian languages. Ethiopic and South Arabian show particular common features, and are often grouped together as South Semitic . The proper classification of Arabic with respect to other Semitic languages is debated. In older classifications, it is grouped with the South Semitic languages. However, Hetzron and Huehnergard connect it more closely with the Northwest Semitic languages, to form Central Semitic . Some Semiticists continue to argue for
12-455: The Semitic language family into two branches: Eastern and Western. The West Semitic languages consist of the clearly defined sub-groups: Modern South Arabian , Old South Arabian , Ethiopic , Arabic (including Maltese ), and Northwest Semitic (this including Hebrew , Aramaic , and the extinct Amorite and Ugaritic languages). The East Semitic languages , meanwhile, consist of
16-491: The reign of Tiglath-Pileser II (966-935). The Aramaeans called their city Raqamatu . The Assyrian king Adad-nirari II (911-891) led campaign into the Khabur valley and captured the city after a siege in 898. The city was plundered and its Aramaic ruler Muquru and his family were deported to Assyria. West Semitic languages The grouping supported by Semiticists like Robert Hetzron and John Huehnergard divides
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