# \*ʾn: 'where?, whither?; whence?'

> Proto-Semitic *ʾn, 'where?, whither?; whence?': reflexes in 4 language(s).

A page of the Linear A Lexicon's research wiki, in [Wiki](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/index.md>) › [Kaphtor Semitic Roots](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/index.md>) › [ʾ](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/alef/index.md>). Updated 2026-10-28.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*ʾn |
| Meaning | 'where?, whither?; whence?' |
| Basis | project |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mehri | ḥõ (Rubin 2018 40) | Rubin 2018 40 | gloss withheld |
| Hebrew | ʾān, ʾānâ, mēʾān, ʿad-ʾān (HALOT 69) | HALOT 69 | gloss withheld |
| Arabic | ʾannā 'whence?; where?' (Lane 119) | Lane 119 |  |
| Ugaritic | ản (II) (DULAT 73) | DULAT 73 | gloss withheld |

A form keeps its source's gloss only when the source is public domain or openly licensed.

## Notes

HALOT 69 sets Hebrew ʾān with Arabic ʾannā 'where from? where to?', Sefire and Egyptian Aramaic ʾn, Jewish Aramaic hn, ʾn and perhaps Ugaritic an, and asks whether ʾān comes from II ʾayin 'whence?' (BL 631e), which HALOT 42 derives from \*ʾay with Arabic ʾaina. Lane 119 gives ʾannā as syn. min ʾayna. Cf. K0567 \*ʾayy- 'which?; where?'.

## Linked from

- [ʾ](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/alef/index.md>)

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/alef/3713_where_q_whither_q_whence_q/
Licence: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cite as: di Mino, Tom. 2026. Linear A Lexicon. Plasma AI. https://linear-a.ai/. Data: kaphtor, commit add28e94.