COMNOR
| Jaredite GN | 1. | Hill (Ether 14:28 (x2)) |
Etymology
Until possible language affinities for JAREDITE names can be determined, all suggestions for etymologies of JAREDITE names must remain more speculative than substantive. With that caveat, the onomasticon does offer etymologies for some JAREDITE names, especially if it is possible that some JAREDITE names were translated into NEPHITE, or were otherwise related to one or more Semitic languages.
The spelling of this name is most likely erroneous: In the two instances where the name appears in the printer's manuscript (the original manuscript is not extant for this passage), the name is spelled COMRON. The typesetter for the 1830 reversed the last two consonants to produce the 1830-1981 reading, COMNOR.
Assuming that COMRON is the correct reading, it may be that the root meaning is related to the JAREDITE GN CUMORAH, with the latter representing a grammatically feminie ending while the former, COMRON, may represent the form of a masculine place name. Of note is that both are GNs for a hill. However, as with CUMORAH, the etymology is uncertain.
As distant as it may seem, an East Semitic lexeme may provide an appropriate etymology. the Akkadian verb kamāru in the G-stem means "to heap up, to layer" including corpses, and in the N-stem it is applied to ruin mounds and piled up corpses.[1] With metathesis, Akkadian karmu means "ruin, ruin heap" and Akkadian karmūtu, "state of ruin."[2] The vocable karmūtu and possibly COMRON are abstract forms. Notice that in Ether 4:28-31 the hill COMRON is the scene of a tremendous battle in which "the loss of men, women, and children" was severe enough to temporarily bring a halt to the war.
The HEBREW lexeme ʿmr (from the Semitic lexeme ġmr, which may or may not be related to Akkadian kmr) means "a small heap of cut corn [grain!]"[3] works phonologically, but it would seem a stretch from a small mound of grain to a geographically significant hill.
North-west Semitic (including HEBREW) kmr, "priest," also fits phonologically, but does not supply an appropriate meaning without supplementation. Note that in the HEBREW Bible, kōmer is a "priest (of foreign gods)."[4]
Because the correct spelling is no doubt COMRON, the etymological suggestion that erroneous COMNOR, meaning, "arise O light," from HEBREW kūm, to "arise," and nūr, "light," must be rejected.
Cf. Book of Mormon CUMORAH, KIMNOR, and COM, CUMORAH
See also Comnor / Comron Variant
Variants
Deseret Alphabet: 𐐗𐐉𐐣𐐤𐐊𐐡 (kɒmnʌr)
Notes
