# \*šVʾal-: 'ask'

> Proto-Semitic *šVʾal-, 'ask': reflexes in 19 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>) › [š](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/shin/index.md>). Updated 2026-10-22.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*šVʾal- |
| Meaning | 'ask' |
| Basis | SED |
| SED | SEDonline semet 590 |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic | šʔl a,9,14 |  |  |
| Ugaritic | šʾl (CUC; DULAT 784) | CUC; DULAT 784 | gloss withheld |
| Epigraphic South Arabian | Sab s1ʾl (SD 121; Sabaweb lemma 2215) | SD 121; Sabaweb lemma 2215 | gloss withheld |
| Akkadian | šālu (šaʾālu) (CAD Š/1 274; AHw 1151) | CAD Š/1 274; AHw 1151 | gloss withheld |
| Aramaic | ŠʾL (Aramaic Root Atlas; DNWSI 1095) | Aramaic Root Atlas; DNWSI 1095 | gloss withheld |
| Geez | saʾala (LGz. 480) | LGz. 480 | gloss withheld |
| Hebrew | šāʾal (HALOT 1371, 1372) | HALOT 1371, 1372 | gloss withheld |
| Punic | šʾl (Krahmalkov 452) | Krahmalkov 452 | gloss withheld |
| Judaic Aramaic | šəʾēl (HALOT 1371; DJPA 532a apud CAL) | HALOT 1371; DJPA 532a; CAL |  |
| Syrian Aramaic | šēʾl (HALOT 1371; Payne Smith 553) | HALOT 1371; Payne Smith 553 |  |
| Mandaic Aramaic | ŠAL (HALOT 1371; MD 441) | HALOT 1371; MD 441 |  |
| Tigre | (tə)säʾala (LGz. 480) | LGz. 480 |  |
| Harari | (tä)saʾala (LGz. 480) | LGz. 480 |  |
| Gurage | (tä)salä (LGz. 480) | LGz. 480 |  |
| Amharic | (tä)salä (LGz. 480) | LGz. 480 | gloss withheld |
| Amorite | śʾl: śaʾalum, śaʾīlatum, śaʾīltum, śaʾlum (Gelb AS 21, 31); Saʾal: sa-a-la (Sanmartín GlOS 2, 229) | Gelb AS 21 31; Sanmartín GlOS 2, 229 | gloss withheld |
| Pre-Islamic North Arabian | Safaitic sʾl; sʾl; Dadanitic sʾl; Taymanitic sʾl (Al-Jallad 2026, 128) | Al-Jallad 2026 128 | gloss withheld |
| Eblaitic | sa-da-um /šatā(ʔ)lum/ (VE 147; Kogan–Krebernik 2021b: 683 apud SEDonline 1608); sa-il-tum /šāʾiltum/ (VE 907; Krebernik 1983, 34); sá-ul-tum, sá-ul-du-um /šaʔultum/ (VE 987; Krebernik 1983, 36); iš-al-su, sa-al-li-iš, sa-a-li&lt;-iš&gt;-ki /S-ʾ-l/; mu-sa-il-da /muSaʾʾilt/; name sa/sá-ù-lum /Saʾul/ (Sanmartín GlOS 2, 229–230) | VE 147; SEDonline 1608; VE 907; Krebernik 1983, 34; VE 987; Krebernik 1983, 36; Sanmartín GlOS 2, 229–230 | gloss withheld |
| Biblical Aramaic | šʾl (HALOT 1371) | HALOT 1371 | gloss withheld |

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

## Notes

SEDonline 1608 numbers sa-da-um VE 114; the MEE 4 witnesses stand under VE 147 (Hajouz 2013, 661). Hajouz 2013, 663 reads VE 987 sá-ul-du-um, sá-ul-tum as /šaʾʾultum/, D verbal adjective, with Sanmartín GlOS 2, 230 /Saʾʾult/, where Krebernik 1983, 36 has /šaʔultum/.

## Linked from

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

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/shin/610_ask/
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.