SENINE: Difference between revisions
(Reorganization, and addition of Egyptian snn, Notes, Bibliography.) |
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No etymology is persuasive. | No etymology is persuasive. | ||
The most likely candidate is the Egyptian term ''sniw'' (JG) a unit of currency which during the New Kingdom in Egypt was worth about 5 deben.<ref>Janssen, ''Commodity Prices from the Ramessid Period'', 102-8.</ref> There are two problems with this candidate. The first is that attestation after the New Kingdom is wanting. The second is that it needs another ''n''. There is one instance of a spelling ''snny'',<ref>Janssen, ''Commodity Prices from the Ramessid Period'', 103.</ref> but one would like more examples to show that this one writing is not simply a scribal error. | |||
Another possible Egyptian etymology is ''snn'', "likeness, image,"<ref>''Wb''. 3:460</ref> though this is normally used of statues. The word becomes rare after Late Egyptian, though it is attested through the Roman period. | Another possible Egyptian etymology is ''snn'', "likeness, image,"<ref>''Wb''. 3:460</ref> though this is normally used of statues. The word becomes rare after Late Egyptian, though it is attested through the Roman period. | ||
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A Hebrew root such as ''snn'' or ''śnn'' would be ideal. The closest proposed root is ''ṣll'', “to lift up, exalt, raise, gather, cast up (into a heap)” or ''ṣlh'', “to lift up, suspend (a balance), weigh.” See also the more likely post biblical Hebrew ''ṣnh'' (=Arabic ''ṣny''), “to lift up, elevate” (JAT), though we have not been able to find this root (PYH, JG). | A Hebrew root such as ''snn'' or ''śnn'' would be ideal. The closest proposed root is ''ṣll'', “to lift up, exalt, raise, gather, cast up (into a heap)” or ''ṣlh'', “to lift up, suspend (a balance), weigh.” See also the more likely post biblical Hebrew ''ṣnh'' (=Arabic ''ṣny''), “to lift up, elevate” (JAT), though we have not been able to find this root (PYH, JG). | ||
A possible, but unlikely, candidate for the origin of Senine is Egyptian ''snw'', a kind of jar (JAT), though the unit of measure, volume, is not the same as the Book of Mormon unit of measure, mass. The Egyptian word ''snw'' also needs another 'n'. | A possible, but unlikely, candidate for the origin of Senine is Egyptian ''snw'', a kind of jar (JAT), though the unit of measure, volume, is not the same as the Book of Mormon unit of measure, mass. The Egyptian word ''snw'' also needs another ''n''. | ||
Cf. Book of Mormon [[SENUM(S)]], [[SEON]]. | Cf. Book of Mormon [[SENUM(S)]], [[SEON]]. | ||
Revision as of 09:49, 7 March 2011
| Lehite noun | Gold currency, ca. 82 BC (Alma 11:3; 3 Nephi 12:26) |
No etymology is persuasive.
The most likely candidate is the Egyptian term sniw (JG) a unit of currency which during the New Kingdom in Egypt was worth about 5 deben.[1] There are two problems with this candidate. The first is that attestation after the New Kingdom is wanting. The second is that it needs another n. There is one instance of a spelling snny,[2] but one would like more examples to show that this one writing is not simply a scribal error.
Another possible Egyptian etymology is snn, "likeness, image,"[3] though this is normally used of statues. The word becomes rare after Late Egyptian, though it is attested through the Roman period.
A Hebrew root such as snn or śnn would be ideal. The closest proposed root is ṣll, “to lift up, exalt, raise, gather, cast up (into a heap)” or ṣlh, “to lift up, suspend (a balance), weigh.” See also the more likely post biblical Hebrew ṣnh (=Arabic ṣny), “to lift up, elevate” (JAT), though we have not been able to find this root (PYH, JG).
A possible, but unlikely, candidate for the origin of Senine is Egyptian snw, a kind of jar (JAT), though the unit of measure, volume, is not the same as the Book of Mormon unit of measure, mass. The Egyptian word snw also needs another n.
Cf. Book of Mormon SENUM(S), SEON.
See also Senine Variants
Notes
Bibliography
- Adolf Erman and Hermann Grapow, Worterbuch der Aegyptischen Sprache. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs, 1926-1931. Wb.
- Jac. J. Janssen, Commodity Prices from the Ramessid Period: An Economic Study of the Village of Necropolis Workmen at Thebes. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1975.
