# \*liš(š)ān- {} \*lis(s)ān-: 'tongue; language'

> Proto-Semitic *liš(š)ān- {} *lis(s)ān-, 'tongue; language': reflexes in 23 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>) › [L](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/l/index.md>). Updated 2026-10-22.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*liš(š)ān- {} \*lis(s)ān- |
| Meaning | 'tongue; language' |
| Basis | SED |
| SED | SEDonline semet 2147 |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic | lisān- \[BK 2 991\] | BK 2 991 |  |
| Mehri | ɛwšēn/lǝšōn \[JM 256\] | JM 256 |  |
| Soqotri | léšin \[LS 236\], \[SSL LS 1466\] | LS 236; SSL LS 1466 |  |
| Akkadian | lišānu OB on \[CAD l 209\], \[AHw 556\] | CAD l 209; AHw 556 | gloss withheld |
| Harsusi | lēšen \[JH 85\] | JH 85 |  |
| Tigre | lǝs(s)an \[LH 36\], nǝssal \[ibid. 325\] | LH 36; LH 325 |  |
| Eblaitic | li-sa-nu /lišānu(m)/ \[Kr 7-8; Bl E No. 66\]; a-a-gú(-um) li-sa-nu /liSān/ (Sanmartín GlOS 2, 17) | Kr 7-8; Sanmartín GlOS 2, 17 | gloss withheld |
| Mandaic Aramaic | lišana \[DM 237\] | DM 237 |  |
| Ugaritic | lšn \[DULAT 501\]; /lašānu/ (UVST 143) | DULAT 501; UVST 143 |  |
| Geez | lǝssan \[LGz 318\]. | LGz 318 |  |
| Biblical Aramaic | liššānā (BDB 1099) | BDB 1099 |  |
| Phoenician | lasoun \[HJ 584\] (in Diosc.) | HJ 584 |  |
| Modern Aramaic | MAL liššōna \[Berg 54\] MLḤS lešono \[J Mlah 181\] HRT neššala \[J Hert 195\] NASS lišǟnä \[Tser 0119\] URM lišǝnǝ \[R Urmi 100\] ZKH līšana \[R Zakhon 108\] M MND lišān, emph. lišāna \[M MND 508, 523\] GZR lišána \[Nak 78\] AZRB liššana (northern subdialect), lišana (southern subdialect) \[Garb 317\] IRAN lišâna \[Pen 97\] | Berg 54; J Mlah 181; J Hert 195; Tser 0119; M MND 508, 523; Nak 78; Garb 317; Pen 97 | gloss withheld |
| Jibbali | ɛls̃ɛ́n \[JJ 165\] | JJ 165 |  |
| Hebrew | lāšōn (HALOT 536) | HALOT 536 |  |
| Amharic | lǝs(s)an \[K 58\] | K 58 |  |
| Epigraphic South Arabian | SAB ls1n \[SD 83; Sabaweb lemma 1580\] | SD 83; Sabaweb lemma 1580 | gloss withheld |
| Judaic Aramaic | līšānā \[Ja 710\]; läššān (lyšn) \[DJPA 282b apud CAL\] | Ja 710; DJPA 282b; CAL |  |
| Syrian Aramaic | leššānā \[Brock 371\] | Brock 371 |  |
| Aramaic | SAMAL OLD DAL OFF lšn (WARKA li-iš-šá-an) \[HJ 584\] | HJ 584 | gloss withheld |
| Tigrinya | lǝs(s)an \[Bass 20\] | Bass 20 |  |
| Punic | lšn 'tongue' | Anderson–Moser 2024 root lšān |  |
| Pre-Islamic North Arabian | Safaitic ʾlsnt (Al-Jallad 2026, 87) | Al-Jallad 2026 87 | gloss withheld |

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

## Linked from

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

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/l/1968_tongue_language/
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.