ܝܡܐ

Assyrian Neo-Aramaic

Etymology 1

Root
ܐ ܡ ܗ (ˀ m h)
1 term

Variant of ܐܸܡܵܐ (immā), from Aramaic אִמָּא (ʾimmā) with a shift from an initial /ʔ/ to /j/, from Proto-Semitic *ʔimm-; compare Turoyo ܐܶܡܐ (emo), Arabic أُمّ (ʔumm), Hebrew אֵם (em) and אִמָּא (ímma).

The second sense is from Akkadian ummat erî (“lower milestone, grindstone”). The first element, ummat, is the construct form of ummatu (“main part”) while the second element erî is the genetive form of erû (“lower stone of hand-mill”). Based on folk etymology or a reinterpretation of the Akkadian term, the word was reinterpreted as “mother” in Aramaic. In some dialects, the fourth sense then evolved from this.

Pronunciation

• (standard) IPA^(key): [ˈjɪm.mɑː], [ˈjɪm.mä]
• (Nineveh Plains) IPA^(key): [ʔɪmma], [jɪmma]
• (Urmian) IPA^(key): [ˈjɪ.mɒ]

Noun

ܝܸܡܵܐ • (yimmā) f (plural ܝܸܡܵܬܹ̈ܐ (yimmātē) or ܝܸܡܵܘܵܬ݂ܵܐ (yimmāwāṯā), masculine ܒܵܒܵܐ (bābā) or ܐܲܒ݂ܵܐ (aḇā))

1. mother (female parent who gets pregnant and gives birth to a child)
2. lower millstone of a mill; lower grindstone of a hand-mill
3. (Tergawar) colostrum, first milk
4. (Tyare) boulder that has rolled or is rolling down a slope
5. malignant tumor

Inflection

Inflection of ܝܸܡܵܐ (yimmā)

number	isolated forms		with possessive pronouns
	state	form	person	singular		plural
				m	f
singular	absolute	–	1st person	ܝܸܡܝܼ (yimī)		ܝܸܡܲܢ (yimman)
	construct	ܝܸܡ (yim)	2nd person	ܝܸܡܘܼܟ݂ (yimūḵ)	ܝܸܡܵܟ݂ܝ (yimmāḵ)	ܝܸܡܵܘܟ݂ܘܿܢ (yimmāwḵōn)
	emphatic	ܝܸܡܵܐ (yimmā)	3rd person	ܝܸܡܹܗ (yimmēh)	ܝܸܡܵܗ̇ (yimmāh)	ܝܸܡܗܘܿܢ (yimhōn)
plural	absolute	–	1st person	ܝܸܡܵܬܝܼ̈ (yimmātī)		ܝܸܡܵܬܲܢ̈ (yimmātan)
	construct	ܝܸܡܵܬ̈ (yimmāt)	2nd person	ܝܸܡܵܬܘܼ̈ܟ݂ (yimmātūḵ)	ܝܸܡܵܬܵܟ݂ܝ (yimmātāḵ)	ܝܸܡܵܬܵܘ̈ܟ݂ܘܿܢ (yimmātāwḵōn)
	emphatic	ܝܸܡܵܬܹ̈ܐ (yimmātē)	3rd person	ܝܸܡܵܬܘܼ̈ܗܝ (yimmātūh)	ܝܸܡܵܬ̈ܘܿܗ̇ (yimmātōh)	ܝܸܡܵܬܗ̈ܘܿܢ (yimmāthōn)

Derived terms

• ܝܸܡ ܩܪܵܝܬܵܐ (yim qrāytā, “mater lectionis”)
• ܝܸܡܵܝܵܐ (yimmāyā, “motherly, maternal”)

  ܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ ܝܸܡܵܝܵܐ (liššānā yimmāyā, “mother tongue”)

• ܝܸܡܘܼܬܵܐ (yimūtā, “motherhood, maternity”)

Related terms

• ܐܲܡܘܼܡܵܐ (amūmā, “mold, matrix”)
• ܐܘܼܡܬܵܐ (umtā, “nation”)
• ܐܸܡܗܵܬܹ̈ܐ (imhātē, “female ancestors”)

Etymology 2

Root
ܝ ܡ ܡ (y m m)
2 terms

A Northwest Semitic innovation from Aramaic יַמָּא (yammāʾ), from Proto-Semitic *wamm- (“sea, river”); compare Ugaritic 𐎊𐎎 (ym), Hebrew יָם (yam), and also borrowed into Arabic يَمّ (yamm).

Pronunciation

• (standard) IPA^(key): [ˈjɑːmɑː], [ˈjä.mä]
• (Urmian) IPA^(key): [ˈjɒ.mɒ]

Noun

ܝܵܡܵܐ • (yāmā) m (plural ܝܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ (yammē))

1. sea (large body of salt water)

   Antonym: ܝܲܒ݂ܫܵܐ (yaḇšā, “dry land”)

2. beach (pebbly or sandy shore, especially by the sea between high- and low-water marks)

Usage notes

• This term is grammatically masculine, either gender in the Alqosh/Nineveh Plains dialect(s), and may be feminine in others.

Inflection

Inflection of ܝܵܡܵܐ (yāmā)

number	isolated forms		with possessive pronouns
	state	form	person	singular		plural
				m	f
singular	absolute	–	1st person	ܝܵܡܝܼ (yāmī)		ܝܵܡܲܢ (yāman)
	construct	ܝܲܡ (yam)	2nd person	ܝܵܡܘܼܟ݂ (yāmūḵ)	ܝܵܡܵܟ݂ܝ (yāmāḵ)	ܝܵܡܵܘܟ݂ܘܿܢ (yāmāwḵōn)
	emphatic	ܝܵܡܵܐ (yāmā)	3rd person	ܝܵܡܹܗ (yāmēh)	ܝܵܡܵܗ̇ (yāmāh)	ܝܵܡܗܘܿܢ (yāmhōn)
plural	absolute	–	1st person	ܝܲܡܡܝܼ̈ (yammī)		ܝܲܡܡܲܢ̈ (yamman)
	construct	ܝܲܡܡܲܝ̈ (yammay)	2nd person	ܝܲܡܡܘܼ̈ܟ݂ (yammūḵ)	ܝܲܡܡܵܟ݂ܝ̈ (yammāḵ)	ܝܲܡܡܵܘ̈ܟ݂ܘܿܢ (yammāwḵōn)
	emphatic	ܝܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ (yammē)	3rd person	ܝܲܡܡܘܼ̈ܗܝ (yammūh)	ܝܲܡܡ̈ܘܿܗ̇ (yammōh)	ܝܲܡܡܗ̈ܘܿܢ (yammhōn)

Hyponyms

• ܝܵܡܵܐ ܐ݇ܟܘܿܡܵܐ (yāmā kōmā, “the Black Sea”)
• ܝܵܡܵܐ ܒܲܠܛܝܼܩܵܝܵܐ (yāmā balṭīqāyā, “the Baltic Sea”)
• ܝܵܡܵܐ ܕܐܝܼܒܪ̈ܵܝܹܐ (yāmā d-ībrāyē, “the Caspian Sea”)
• ܝܵܡܵܐ ܕܝܲܦܵܢ (yāmā dyappān, “the Sea of Japan”)
• ܝܵܡܵܐ ܕܟܵܪ̈ܝܼܒܵܝܹܐ (yāmā dkārībāyē, “the Caribbean Sea”)
• ܝܵܡܵܐ ܕܡܸܠܚܵܐ (yāmā d-milḥā, “the Dead Sea”)
• ܝܵܡܵܐ ܕܣܘܿܦ (yāmā d-sop, “the Red Sea”)
• ܝܵܡܵܐ ܚܘܵܪܵܐ ܡܸܨܥܵܝܵܐ (yāmā ḥwārā miṣˁāyā, “the Mediterranean Sea”)
• ܝܵܡܵܐ ܫܲܥܘܼܬܵܐ (yāmā šaˁūtā, “the Yellow Sea”)

 

Derived terms

• ܓܲܢܵܒ݂ܵܐ ܕܝܵܡܵܐ (gannāḇā d-yāmā, “pirate”)
• ܚܝܵܪܵܐ ܕܝܵܡܵܐ (ḥyārā d-yāmā, “sea cucumber”)
• ܝܲܡܡܵܝܵܐ (yammāyā, “marine”)
• ܝܲܡܬܘܿܢܝܼܬܵܐ (yamtōnītā, “lakelet”)
• ܝܲܡܬܵܐ (yamtā, “lake”)
• ܟܲܠܒ݂ܵܐ ܕܝܵܡܵܐ (kalḇā d-yāmā, “seal, otter, beaver”)
• ܟܲܠܬܵܐ ܕܝܵܡܵܐ (kaltā d-yāmā, “mermaid”)
• ܟܵܘܟ݂ܒ݂ܵܐ ܕܝܵܡܵܐ (kāwḵḇā d-yāmā, “starfish”)
• ܠܒܲܕܲܪ ܡ̣ܢ ܝܲܡܡܹ̈ܐ (l-baddar min yammē, “overseas, abroad”)
• ܣܘܼܣܵܐ ܕܝܵܡܵܐ (sūsā d-yāmā, “seahorse”)
• ܣܲܪܛܵܢܵܐ ܕܝܵܡܵܐ (sarṭānā d-yāmā, “lobster”)
• ܥܸܙܵܐ ܕܝܵܡܵܐ (ˁizzā d-yāmā, “swordfish”)
• ܩܘܼܦܕܵܐ ܕܝܵܡܵܐ (qupdā d-yāmā, “sea urchin”)

 

Etymology 3

Root
ܝ ܡ ܐ (y m ˀ)
1 term

From Aramaic יֲמָא (yămā).

Pronunciation

• (standard) IPA^(key): [ˈjɑːmeː]

Verb

ܝܵܡܹܐ • (yāmē) (present participle ܝܡܵܝܵܐ (māyā), past participle ܝܸܡܝܵܐ (yimyā))

1. to swear, vow

   ܠܵܐ ܝܵܡܹܝܬܘܿܢ ܒܕܘܼܓܠܵܐ. ― lā yāmētōn b-duglā. ― You must not swear by a lie.

Conjugation

Conjugation of ܝܵܡܹܐ (yāmē)

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	ܝܡܹܐ ܠܝܼ (mē lī)	ܝܡܹܐ ܠܘܼܟ݂ (mē lūḵ)	ܝܡܹܐ ܠܹܗ (mē lēh)	ܝܡܹܐ ܠܲܢ (mē lan)	ܝܡܹܐ ܠܵܘܟ݂ܘܿܢ (mē lāwḵōn)	ܝܡܹܐ ܠܗܘܿܢ (mē lhōn)
	f		ܝܡܹܐ ܠܵܟ݂ܝ (mē lāḵ)	ܝܡܹܐ ܠܵܗ̇ (mē lāh)
non-past	m	ܝܵܡܹܝܢ (yāmēn)	ܝܵܡܹܝܬ (yāmēt)	ܝܵܡܹܐ (yāmē)	ܝܵܡܲܚ (yāmaḥ)	ܝܵܡܹܝܬܘܿܢ (yāmētōn)	ܝܵܡܝܼ (yāmī)
	f	ܝܵܡܝܵܢ (yāmyān)	ܝܵܡܝܵܬܝ (yāmyāt)	ܝܵܡܝܵܐ (yāmyā)
imperative	m		ܝܡܝܼ (mī)			ܝܡܹܝܡܘܼܢ (mēmūn)
	f		ܝܡܹܐ (mē)

References

• “ܝܸܡܵܐ”, in Sureth Dictionary, Association Assyrophile de France, 2022 November 27 (last accessed)
• “ܝܲܡܵܐ”, in Sureth Dictionary, Association Assyrophile de France, 2022 November 27 (last accessed)
• Maclean, Arthur John (1901) “ܝܸܡܵܐ”, in Dictionary of the Dialects of Vernacular Syriac as Spoken by the Eastern Syrians of Kurdistan, North-West Persia and the Plain of Mosul, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 120b
• Maclean, Arthur John (1901) “ܝܵܡܵܐ”, in Dictionary of the Dialects of Vernacular Syriac as Spoken by the Eastern Syrians of Kurdistan, North-West Persia and the Plain of Mosul, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 120b
• Hezi Mutzafi (2018 May 15) “Akkadian substrate words and meanings surfacing in Neo-Aramaic”, in Brill's Journal of Afroasiatic Languages and Linguistics

Classical Syriac

Etymology

A Northwest Semitic innovation. From Proto-Semitic *wamm- (“sea, river”). Compare Ugaritic 𐎊𐎎 (ym), Hebrew יָם (yām) and Arabic يَمّ (yamm). The word as it appears in Arabic is a borrowing.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Edessan) IPA^(key): [ˈjam.mɑ]
• (Eastern Syriac) IPA^(key): [ˈjam.mɑ]
• (Western Syriac) IPA^(key): [ˈjɑ.mo]

Noun

ܝܡܐ • (yammā) m (plural ܝܡܡܐ (yam[mə]mē))

1. sea, large lake
2. pond, swamp, marsh

Inflection

    declension of ܝܡܐ

state	singular	plural
absolute	ܝܡ	ܝܡܡܝܢ
construct	ܝܡ	ܝܡܡܝ
emphatic	ܝܡܐ	ܝܡܡܐ
possessive forms
1st c. sg. (my)	ܝܡܝ	ܝܡܡܝ
2nd m. sg. (your)	ܝܡܟ	ܝܡܡܝܟ
2nd f. sg. (your)	ܝܡܟܝ	ܝܡܡܝܟܝ
3rd m. sg. (his)	ܝܡܗ	ܝܡܡܘܗܝ
3rd f. sg. (her)	ܝܡܗ	ܝܡܡܝܗ
1st c. pl. (our)	ܝܡܢ	ܝܡܡܝܢ
2nd m. pl. (your)	ܝܡܟܘܢ	ܝܡܡܝܟܘܢ
2nd f. pl. (your)	ܝܡܟܝܢ	ܝܡܡܝܟܝܢ
3rd m. pl. (their)	ܝܡܗܘܢ	ܝܡܡܝܗܘܢ
3rd f. pl. (their)	ܝܡܗܝܢ	ܝܡܡܝܗܝܢ

Synonyms

• (sea): ܒܚܪܐ (baḥrā)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “sea”): ܝܒܫܐ (yaḇšā, “dry land”)

Derived terms

• ܝܕ ܝܡܐ (yaḏ yammā, “coast”)
• ܝܡܡ (yammem, “to make into a sea”)
• ܝܡܡܝܐ (yam[mə]māyā, “marine”)
• ܝܡܬܐ (yamməṯā, “lake”)
  • ܝܡܬܘܢܝܬܐ (yamməṯōnīṯā, “lakelet”)

References

• “ym”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–, retrieved 2011-10-02
• Costaz, Louis (2002) Dictionnaire syriaque-français ∙ Syriac–English Dictionary ∙ قاموس سرياني-عربي, 3rd edition, Beirut: Dar El-Machreq, page 141b
• Payne Smith, Jessie (1903) A Compendious Syriac Dictionary Founded Upon the Thesaurus Syriacus of R. Payne Smith, D.D., Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 193a
• Sokoloff, Michael (2009) A Syriac Lexicon: A Translation from the Latin, Correction, Expansion, and Update of C. Brockelmann's Lexicon Syriacum, Winona Lake, Indiana, Piscataway, New Jersey: Eisenbrauns; Gorgias Press, page 575b
• Kogan, Leonid (2011) “Proto-Semitic Lexicon”, in Weninger, Stefan, editor, The Semitic Languages. An International Handbook (Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft – Handbooks of Linguistics and Communication Science; 36), Berlin: De Gruyter, →ISBN, page 191

Anagrams

• ܡܝܐ

Turoyo

Etymology

From Aramaic ימא

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jɑmo/ (singular)
• IPA^(key): /jɑme/ (plural)

Noun

ܝܰܡܳܐ • (yāmo) m (plural ܝܰܡܶܐ (yāme))

1. sea

   Synonym: ܒܰܚܪܳܐ (baḥro)