# \*w/yll: 'to howl, wail' 1, 'woe, calamity' 2

> Proto-Semitic *w/yll, 'to howl, wail' 1, 'woe, calamity' 2: reflexes in 9 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>) › [W](<https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/w/index.md>). Updated 2026-11-03.

## Root

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction | \*w/yll |
| Meaning | 'to howl, wail' 1, 'woe, calamity' 2 |
| Basis | project |

## Reflexes

| Language | Form | Sources | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hebrew | yll (hif.) (HALOT 413; LGz. 623); yᵉlēl, yᵉlālā (HALOT 413) | HALOT 413; LGz. 623 | gloss withheld |
| Judaic Aramaic | yll (pa.) (HALOT 413) | HALOT 413 |  |
| Syrian Aramaic | (ʾa)ylel (LGz. 623) | LGz. 623 |  |
| Arabic | walwala (HALOT 413; LGz. 623); wayl 2 (Lane 3062) | HALOT 413; LGz. 623; Lane 3062 | gloss withheld |
| Geez | waylawa (HALOT 413; LGz. 623); way(ə)le 2 (LGz. 623) | HALOT 413; LGz. 623 | gloss withheld |
| Tigrinya | wäläl (LGz. 623) | LGz. 623 | gloss withheld |
| Amharic | wäläle (LGz. 623); walale (HALOT 413) | LGz. 623; HALOT 413 | gloss withheld |
| Pre-Islamic North Arabian | Safaitic wll (D) 1; wyl, wl, wlt 2 (Al-Jallad 2026, 169) | Al-Jallad 2026 169 | gloss withheld |
| Punic | Neo-Punic myll, in hmyll (Krahmalkov 209) | Krahmalkov 209 | gloss withheld |

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

## Notes

Onomatopoeic (HALOT 413), built on the interjection way 'woe' (LGz. 623). Geez waylawa is denominative from way(ə)le (LGz. 623).

## Linked from

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

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/wiki/semitic-roots/w/3236_to_howl_wail_1_woe_calamity_2/
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.