JASHON: Difference between revisions

From Book of Mormon Onomasticon
Jump to navigationJump to search
m (entered JOSH under Cf. BoM)
No edit summary
Line 6: Line 6:
|}
|}


'''This entry is not finished'''
'''Etymology'''


'''Etymology'''
Perhaps the best suggestion is to see in '''J<small>ASHON</small>''' an analogous form to (q.v.), i.e., qal 3ms jussive. The issue here is that there is no known root ''šv̄n'' to correspond with the root ''rām'' of [[JAROM|J<small>AROM</small>]]. But there is a West Semitic root with an ''ayin''-aleph, ''šʾn'', which means “to be at rest, be peaceful, be undisturbed” (''HALOT''). However, in biblical Hebrew the root is attested only in the ''pilpel'' stem. But Ugaritic has ''G''-stem verbal and substantival forms.<ref>For Ugaritic ''šan'', ''šant'', and ''šin'' see Manfried Dietrich and Oswald Loretz, ''Analytic Ugaritic Bibliography, 1872-1988'' (Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1996), 876-7.</ref> It is therefore possible that the form '''J<small>ASHON</small>''' might then contain the theophoric element ''ja''- plus a perfect form of the lexeme ''šʾn'', and could mean either “Jehovah gives rest,” or “Jehovah is at rest.” Not impossible is “Jehovah is rest.” An imperfect verbal form of the type ''yaqtul'' from the lexeme ''šʾn'', meaning, “he shall rest,” or “he shall give rest,” is also possible.
 
The root ''yšn'' (Ugaritic, ''yṯn''), “to be old,” and ''yšn'' (Ugaritic, ''yšn''), “to sleep,” provide plausible etymologies. In both cases the passive participle form, ''yȃšûn'', “is old,” or “is asleep,” both could account for the form of the GN '''J<small>ASHON</small>'''. For the attestation of the lexeme “to be old” in GNs, see the biblical GN Jeshnah ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/2-chr/13.19?lang=eng#18 2 Chronicles 13:19]), possibly “old city.”<ref> ''HALOT'', sub ישן II.</ref> The biblical [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] PN Jashen ([http://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/2-sam/23.32?lang=eng#31 2 Samuel 23:32]), from the root “to sleep,” hence perhaps “sleepy,”<ref> ''HALOT'', sub ישן I.</ref> though not a GN per se, does give evidence for “sleep” being used in names.
 
It is possible that '''J<small>ASHON</small>''' can be derived from the verb *''ʾwš'', “to give.” This lexeme appears in the biblical period Hebrew name ''yʾwš''.<ref> See Ahiutuv, ''Echoes'', 481, where he takes ''Yāʾuš'' as a hypocoristic from ''yʾšyhw''.</ref> Also Ugaritc ''ušn'' means “gift.”<ref> ''UT'' 117, which takes ''ušn'' from *''ʾwš''</ref>. While this vocable provides a useful name element, as the attested examples demonstrate, the form this lexeme would have to take to produce '''J<small>ASHON</small>''' is not entirely transparent. A verbal form, as the Hebrew PN ''yʾwš'', would account for the ''Ja''- prefix, but not the ending –''on''. A noun form, as in the Ugaritic PN ''ušn'' would account for the ending –''on'' but not the prefixed ''Ja''- . The Amorite names containing ''ya-(ú-)uš'' plus a theophoric element (see in Huffmon, ''Amorite Personal Names in the Mari Texts'' [Balimore: Johns Hopkins, 1965], 171) are not helpful.  Not only does Huffmon list the root as “uncertain,” but he suggests the preferred etymology be taken from *''ġwṯ''.


The vowel pattern is the same as that for [[JAROM|J<small>AROM</small>]] (q.v.), i.e., qal 3m.s. jussive, except that there is no known root ''šv̄n'' to correspond with the ''rām'' of [[JAROM|J<small>AROM</small>]] ([[Jo Ann Hackett|JH]]). The most likely derivation then would come from ''*yšn'', “to be old,” or “to sleep.” The vowel pattern ''ao'' is acceptable in an adjective, though not attested for this root. Cf. the biblical [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] PN Jashen  [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_sam/23/32#32 2 Samuel 23:32]), from the root “to sleep,” hence perhaps “sleepy.” This is not a likely placename ([[Jo Ann Hackett|JH]]). However, the biblical GN Jeshnah ([http://scriptures.lds.org/en/2_chr/13/19#19 2 Chronicles 13:19]), possibly comes from “to sleep.” In [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/eccl/5/11#11 Ecclesiastes 5:11] note also the construct form ''yešōn'', “sleep,” suggesting the absolute form ''yašōn'' ([[Robert F. Smith|RFS]]).
Perhaps '''J<small>ASHON</small>''' is an abstract noun from the root ''yšh'', of uncertain meaning, represented in biblical [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] by the noun ''tûšîyah'', “success, wisdom” ([[Robert F. Smith|RFS]]). But this suggestion has its own difficulties. After discussing the etymological possibilities for the noun ''tûšîyah'', ''HALOT'' states, “The various suggestions surveyed above have been presented to show how difficult it is to give an adequate translation of the Hebrew sbst [substantive], for it has no real equivalent in modern languages.


Perhaps '''JASHON''' is an abstract noun from the root ''yšh'', of uncertain meaning, represented in biblical [[HEBREW|H<small>EBREW</small>]] by the noun ''tûšîyah'', “success, wisdom” ([[Robert F. Smith|RFS]]).


Cf. Book of Mormon [[JACOM|J<small>ACOM</small>]], [[JOSH|J<small>OSH</small>]]
Cf. Book of Mormon [[JACOM|J<small>ACOM</small>]], [[JOSH|J<small>OSH</small>]]
Line 22: Line 25:
'''Notes'''
'''Notes'''
----
----
<references/>
[[Category:Names]][[Category:Lehite GN]]
[[Category:Names]][[Category:Lehite GN]]

Revision as of 21:22, 4 February 2014

Lehite GN 1. City and land, ca. 346 AD (Mormon 2:16, 17)

Etymology

Perhaps the best suggestion is to see in JASHON an analogous form to (q.v.), i.e., qal 3ms jussive. The issue here is that there is no known root šv̄n to correspond with the root rām of JAROM. But there is a West Semitic root with an ayin-aleph, šʾn, which means “to be at rest, be peaceful, be undisturbed” (HALOT). However, in biblical Hebrew the root is attested only in the pilpel stem. But Ugaritic has G-stem verbal and substantival forms.[1] It is therefore possible that the form JASHON might then contain the theophoric element ja- plus a perfect form of the lexeme šʾn, and could mean either “Jehovah gives rest,” or “Jehovah is at rest.” Not impossible is “Jehovah is rest.” An imperfect verbal form of the type yaqtul from the lexeme šʾn, meaning, “he shall rest,” or “he shall give rest,” is also possible.

The root yšn (Ugaritic, yṯn), “to be old,” and yšn (Ugaritic, yšn), “to sleep,” provide plausible etymologies. In both cases the passive participle form, yȃšûn, “is old,” or “is asleep,” both could account for the form of the GN JASHON. For the attestation of the lexeme “to be old” in GNs, see the biblical GN Jeshnah (2 Chronicles 13:19), possibly “old city.”[2] The biblical HEBREW PN Jashen (2 Samuel 23:32), from the root “to sleep,” hence perhaps “sleepy,”[3] though not a GN per se, does give evidence for “sleep” being used in names.

It is possible that JASHON can be derived from the verb *ʾwš, “to give.” This lexeme appears in the biblical period Hebrew name yʾwš.[4] Also Ugaritc ušn means “gift.”[5]. While this vocable provides a useful name element, as the attested examples demonstrate, the form this lexeme would have to take to produce JASHON is not entirely transparent. A verbal form, as the Hebrew PN yʾwš, would account for the Ja- prefix, but not the ending –on. A noun form, as in the Ugaritic PN ušn would account for the ending –on but not the prefixed Ja- . The Amorite names containing ya-(ú-)uš plus a theophoric element (see in Huffmon, Amorite Personal Names in the Mari Texts [Balimore: Johns Hopkins, 1965], 171) are not helpful. Not only does Huffmon list the root as “uncertain,” but he suggests the preferred etymology be taken from *ġwṯ.

Perhaps JASHON is an abstract noun from the root yšh, of uncertain meaning, represented in biblical HEBREW by the noun tûšîyah, “success, wisdom” (RFS). But this suggestion has its own difficulties. After discussing the etymological possibilities for the noun tûšîyah, HALOT states, “The various suggestions surveyed above have been presented to show how difficult it is to give an adequate translation of the Hebrew sbst [substantive], for it has no real equivalent in modern languages.”


Cf. Book of Mormon JACOM, JOSH

Variants

Deseret Alphabet: 𐐖𐐁𐐟𐐊𐐤 (dʒeɪʃʌn)

Notes


  1. For Ugaritic šan, šant, and šin see Manfried Dietrich and Oswald Loretz, Analytic Ugaritic Bibliography, 1872-1988 (Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1996), 876-7.
  2. HALOT, sub ישן II.
  3. HALOT, sub ישן I.
  4. See Ahiutuv, Echoes, 481, where he takes Yāʾuš as a hypocoristic from yʾšyhw.
  5. UT 117, which takes ušn from *ʾwš