*ŝayʾ-: 'thing' 1, 'what?' 2

Root

Language	Form	Sources	Note
Arabic	šayʔ- 1, 2
Mehri	ŝī, obl. ŝīǝn, -ŝǝn, hɛ̄ŝǝn 2		gloss withheld
Soqotri	ŝī, ŝiʔ 1; ŝi (SLOnline 7488)	SLOnline 7488	gloss withheld
Harsusi	ŝī, ŝǝy
Jibbali	ŝé 1
Pre-Islamic North Arabian	Safaitic śʾ 1 (Al-Jallad 2026, 144)	Al-Jallad 2026 144	gloss withheld

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

Al-Jallad (2026, 144) compares Sabaic šyʾ 'an indeterminate object, thing' (Sabaweb, s.v. šyʾ).

Updated 22 October 2026