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#60361
03/10/2002 3:49 AM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605 |
Where does the word abracadabra come from?
Websters says, "unknown origin".
AHD says, "late latin", with no more detail. I'm no latin scholar; does it sound like latin?
OED is not available to me, but a book on my shelf (published 1989) quotes OED as saying "origin unknown". Is that still what OED says?
The same 1989 book references the cabalistic writings of Issac Luria (1534-72) listing the various angels (Gabriel, Michael, Raphael) and devils (Lilith, Belial, Azazel), and says that Abracadabra is the name of one of the devils. It suggests that this traces back to ancient cuneiform scripts.
Can anyone illuminate?
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#60363
03/13/2002 1:57 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,379 |
A scientist and poet -- a sort of a fire-breathing dragonfly by temperament -- flitted through here some months ago and departed, parts unknown, troubled by the same question and waking no small ruckus behind her. Maybe no ruckus at all. We agreed, she and I, abaracadabarav is Aramaic. But all is not harmony and likely never will be, and we never came to terms on just what it might be Aramaic for. I can't remember what *she* said, but I still maintain it means "I will do according to you word." Or, to put it another way, "Your will be done." Lord knows. Added to which "And I never did see her again" makes a ballad and lament.
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#60364
03/13/2002 10:39 AM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 872
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 872 |
Added to which "And I never did see her again" makes a ballad and lament. -inselpeter
Gee inselpeter, your scientist, poet, fire-breathing dragonfly might have flown, but she left some of her poetry behind with you.
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#60365
03/13/2002 11:12 AM
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 393
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 393 |
That Semitic interpretation is plausible. I can't remember enough about Aramaic to comment, but the bits all look close to the appropriate Hebrew or Arabic bits.
a- Prefix 'I' used in imperfect and future forms.
bara The word 'created' in Genesis 1.1, not the usual Hebrew word for 'made'. (But this is perfective, so wouldn't take the a- prefix.)
ka 'like, as'
dabar 'word'
and finally a possessive suffix, though -ka is the Semitic for 'your' masculine singular.
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#60366
03/13/2002 9:45 PM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 819
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 819 |
Where does the word abracadabra come from?
From a major ladie's undergarment maker. Like the Wonder Bra, the abracada-bra magically lifts and separates.
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