Is the word maal an arabic loan word

[Midas]

So I was watching this lecture on beoduin arabic peotry. They brought up the idea of how the meaning of a word changes. As an example they used the word maal. Which mean wealth now but originally meant camel. Is this a mere coincidence? If not how could this arabic loan word be so deeply embedded in somali vocabulary. Examples: tumaal, somaal, bimaal,. Or is it possible that it was loaned into arabic from somali or some adjacent cushitic lanaguge. @Shimbiris @The alchemist

 

[Magan Joseph]

Yes it’s in the Quran.

﴿ الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا﴾​

 

[Magan Joseph]

“Hanti” could mean resources/wealth. Maal is an Arabic word.

 

[Lk8]

dont we say lacag anyways?

 

[Yami]

It’s a coincidence.

maal = mode of life
af soomaali.

maal = wealth
arabee.

sinilar sounding words with completely different meanings, likely due to both of our languages being Afro Asiatic.

another example is “waa”.

waa = is
af soomaali

waa = and
arabee

 

[Idilinaa]

So I was watching this lecture on beoduin arabic peotry. They brought up the idea of how the meaning of a word changes. As an example they used the word maal. Which mean wealth now but originally meant camel. Is this a mere coincidence? If not how could this arabic loan word be so deeply embedded in somali vocabulary. Examples: tumaal, somaal, bimaal,. Or is it possible that it was loaned into arabic from somali or some adjacent cushitic lanaguge. @Shimbiris @The alchemist

It’s a coincidence.

maal = mode of life
af soomaali.

maal = wealth
arabee.

sinilar sounding words with completely different meanings, likely due to both of our languages being Afro Asiatic.

You are both way off.

Maal in Somali which we share with Rendille means to ''To Milk'' an animal , it's applied next to an occupation/life because you are milkin it or labouring/working it.

For example Muruq (Muscle) + Maal (milk). = Muscle milker etc

Fun fact . Although the name Soomaal reflects Pastoralism ''Soof'' and Maal like i explained in this thread: Futuh al-Habasha: Somalis As Bedouins

The name Samaale reflects , cattle herding . Sa ''cow'' and maal ''milk''

another example is “waa”.

waa = is
af soomaali

waa = and
arabee

Totally separate usages and meaning.

''And'' in Somali is ''Iyo''.

 

[Yami]

You are both way off.

Maal in Somali which we share with Rendille means to ''To Milk'' an animal , it's applied next to an occupation/life because you are milkin it or labouring/working it.

For example Muruq (Muscle) + Maal (milk). = Muscle milker etc

Fun fact . Although the name Soomaal reflects Pastoralism ''Soof'' and Maal like i explained in this thread: Futuh al-Habasha: Somalis As Bedouins

The name Samaale reflects , cattle herding . Sa ''cow'' and maal ''milk''

Totally separate usages and meaning.

''And'' in Somali is ''Iyo''.

You cooked

 

[Riftvalley]

Maal is also related to wealth in some Cushitic languages predating any Arabic influence.It especially relates to an individual with an abdudance of cattle. Mal was also used a word for cattle in some Cushitic languages.

In some Cushitic languages Malsi refers to the act of lending someone cattle.

You still have this word in Somali which describes the process of lending someone one an animal to milk, not necessarily cattle:

maalsii Cid neef irmmaan ku taakulayn in muddo ah si uu u maal

 

[Idilinaa]

Maal is also related to wealth in some Cushitic languages predating any Arabic influence.It especially relates to an individual with an abdudance of cattle. Mal was also used a word for cattle in some Cushitic languages.

In some Cushitic languages Malsi refers to the act of lending someone cattle.

You still have this word in Somali which describes the process of lending someone one an animal to milk, not necessarily cattle:

maalsii Cid neef irmmaan ku taakulayn in muddo ah si uu u maal

You might be right on this it being an old cushitic term. It's only in Somali and Rendille it means ''To milk''

 

[GeeljireGenius]

Maal(wealth) is arabic

 

[Riftvalley]

You might be right on this it being an old cushitic term.

Yeah, cattle would have been central to our ancestors and other Cushitics life before the introduction of camels. Social status would have been determined by the number of cattle a man possessed. I believe they held some religious significance as well?

Maal>man with lots of cattle>man with lots of camels, cattle and goat>man with houses, cars and land


I am wondering if the Somali word for day and days Maalin /Malmo is perhaps related to the act of milking. That’s the first thing nomadic people do in the morning. Maalin is apparently a south Semitic loan word according to the ana Ethio Semitics

 

[Idilinaa]

Yeah, cattle would have been central to our ancestors and other Cushitics life before the introduction of camels. Social status would have been determined by the number of cattle a man possessed. I believe they held some religious significance as well?

Maal>man with lots of cattle>man with lots of camels, cattle and goat>man with houses, cars and land


I am wondering if the Somali word for day and days Maalin /Malmo is perhaps related to the act of milking. That’s the first thing nomadic people do in the morning. Maalin is apparently a south Semitic loan word according to the ana Ethio Semitics

Yes Yes, pretty self-explanatory when looking at it.

It's still interesting though that in Somali it's not a direct reference to cattle, but instead their milk.

 

[DALMAR0_0]

So I was watching this lecture on beoduin arabic peotry. They brought up the idea of how the meaning of a word changes. As an example they used the word maal. Which mean wealth now but originally meant camel. Is this a mere coincidence? If not how could this arabic loan word be so deeply embedded in somali vocabulary. Examples: tumaal, somaal, bimaal,. Or is it possible that it was loaned into arabic from somali or some adjacent cushitic lanaguge. @Shimbiris @The alchemist

If a word is shared by Cushitic languages and also found in arabic then its definitely not loaned from arabic but in fact a very old Afro-Asiatic word which is why it can be found in both Afro-Asiatic and arabic

 

[Maakhri from dhahar]

Maal is also related to wealth in some Cushitic languages predating any Arabic influence.It especially relates to an individual with an abdudance of cattle. Mal was also used a word for cattle in some Cushitic languages.

In some Cushitic languages Malsi refers to the act of lending someone cattle.

You still have this word in Somali which describes the process of lending someone one an animal to milk, not necessarily cattle:

maalsii Cid neef irmmaan ku taakulayn in muddo ah si uu u maal

maashi "noun" (-lal, m.l) Neef irmaan oo cid la ammaanaysiiyo si uu u intifaacsado.

maashi "noun" : Xoolo cid laga soo kaxaystay si loo maalo kaddibna loo celiyo. ld maal.

maashii "verb" : (-iiyay, -iisay) Cid xoolo irmaan oo uu muddo maalo siin .

meesi " noun " : (-iyo, m.dh) 1. Duunyada la dhaqdo nooc ka mid ah.
meesi " noun " : category of stock (camels,cattle, etc.) .

maas : Saanta lo'da oo la magdiyey ,
( Cow skin / hide that has been tanned ) .

We also have this word in the Somali language ( hal ) which means she-camel .

hal (-lo, m.l) : Neef geel dhedig ah oo curtay.

hal : she-camel ,
hasha : the she-camel .
hal maal .

Why do we call she-camel " hal " in Somali language?

because she-camel ( hasha ) gave birth and then started producing milk , so we milked her ( maal , waa la maashay ) .

You can't milk her if she doesn't give birth.

The somali verbs (dhal) and (maal) are intertwined,
dhal → maal
dhal → hal
hasha way dhashay → hasha waa la maashaa .
maal → maashay .

​