Arabic-L:LING:Query on root 'nHr'

[Dilworth Parkinson]

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Arabic-L: Mon 23 Jan 2012
Moderator: Dilworth Parkinson <dilworth_parkinson at byu.edu>
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1) Subject:Query on root 'nHr'

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1)
Date: 23 Jan 2012
From:Stewart Felker <stewart.felker at gmail.com>
Subject:Query on root 'nHr'

I was wondering if anyone could point me to some information regarding the
root nḥr which, in Badawi/Haleem's Dictionary of Qur'anic Usage, is given
as 'chest, the upper part of the chest, the throat, to slaughter; to
strive' (p 921). The entry implies that there is only one place in the
Qur'an in which a derivative of the root occurs (108:2), and that it's
debated as to whether it has here the meaning of 'stand upright', or to
'(make a) sacrifice'.

I'm particularly interested, however, in the first interpretations given –
'chest, upper part of the chest'. I've consulted pretty much all of the
relevant Semitic language dictionaries looking for cognates, and the
closest I've gotten to these is a supposed Aramaic nḥr, 'kill by stabbing
(in nose or throat)', and the (surely comical) Arabic naḥara, 'stab (a
camel in the windpipe)'. These are still a very far cry from 'chest, the
upper part of the chest', however, and I'd greatly appreciate a lead for
these.

Thanks a lot.

Stewart Felker (University of Memphis)

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