Semitic

Semitic is an adjective referring to the peoples who have traditionally spoken Semitic languages or to things pertaining to them. Genetic analysis suggests that the Semitic peoples share a significant common ancestry, despite important differences and contributions from other groups. This genetic commonality applies less in the Horn of Africa, however, where indigenous non-Middle Eastern populations may have adopted Semitic language(s) over time due to cultural influence from immigrants from Yemen. There is much debate about the scope of the word's "racial" use in the context of population genetics and history, but as a linguistic term it is well-defined, referring to a largely Middle Eastern family of languages — ancient and modern — including Amharic, Arabic, Aramaic, Assyrian (Syriac), Babylonian (Akkadian), Hebrew, Maltese, and Tigrigna. The Proto-Semitic peoples, ancestors of the Semites in the Middle East before the break-up of the hypothesized original (proto-)Semitic language into various modern Semitic languages, are thought to have been originally from the Arabian Peninsula.

Related Topics:
Semitic languages - Horn of Africa - Yemen - Population genetics - Amharic - Arabic - Aramaic - Assyrian (Syriac) - Akkadian - Hebrew - Maltese - Tigrigna - Proto-Semitic - Arabian Peninsula

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The word "Semitic" derives from the Greek version of the Hebrew name Shem, one of the three sons of Noah in the Jewish scriptures (Genesis 5:32); the noun form referring to a person is Semite. The negative form of the adjective anti-Semitic is almost always used to mean "anti-Jewish", specifically.

Related Topics:
Shem - Sons of Noah - Anti-Semitic

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