Ab (Semitic)
Encyclopedia
Ab means "father
" in most Semitic languages
, sometimes extended to Abba or Aba.
ʼ
-b
-w
) is Arabic
for "father
". The dual is ''ʼabawāni or ''ʼabāni "two fathers" or "mother and father" (''ʼābāʼi-ka meaning "thy parents").
li-llāhi ʼabū-ka is an expression of praise, meaning "to God is attributable [the excellence of] your father".
As a verb, ʼ-b-w means "to become [as] a father to [somebody]" (''ʼabawtu) or "to adopt [him] as a father" (ta'abbā-hu or ista'bā-hu).
In the construct state, Abū (أبو) is followed by another word to form a complete name, e.g.: Abu Mazen, another name for Mahmoud Abbas
.
Abu may be used as a kunya
, an honorific. To refer to a man by his fatherhood (of male offspring) is polite, so that ''ʼabū takes the function of an honorific. Even a man that is as yet childless may still be known as abū of his father's name, implying that he will yet have a son called after his father.
The combination is extended beyond the literal sense: a man may be described as acting as a father in his relation to animals, e. g., Abu Bakr
, "the father of a camel's foal;" Abu Huraira, "father of kittens." In some cases, a man's enemies will refer to him in such a way to besmirch him, e.g. Abu Jahl, "the father of ignorace". A man may be described as being the possessor of some quality, as Abu'l Gadl, "father of grace," or "the graceful one;" Abu'l Fida, "father of devotion," or "the devout one." An object or a place may be given a nickname, such as Abu'l hawl, "father of terror," (the Sphinx
at Giza). Abu'l fulus, "father of money," is frequently used to refer to a place where rumors have been told of a treasure being hidden there.
The Swahili word Bwana, meaning "mister," "sir," or "lord," is derived from the Arabic Abuna (أبونا), "our father."
A transliteration of this Aramaic word appears three times in the Greek New Testament of The Bible. Each time the term appears in transliteration it is followed immediately by the translation ho pater in Greek, which literally means “the father.” In each case it is used with reference to God.
Mark records that Jesus used the term when praying in Gethsemane shortly before his death, saying: “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; remove this cup from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.” (Mark 14:36)
The two other occurrences are in Paul’s letters, at Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6. It seems evident from these texts that, in apostolic times, the Christians made use of the term ’Abba in their prayers to God.
The word ’Abba came to be applied as a title of honor to the rabbis in the early centuries of the Common Era and is found as such in the Babylonian Talmud. (Berakhot 16b) The one acting in the capacity of vice-president of the Jewish Sanhedrin already held the title of ’Av, or Father of the Sanhedrin. In later periods the title was also applied to the bishops of the Coptic, Ethiopic, and Syrian churches and, more particularly, became the title of the Bishop of Alexandria. The English words “abbot” and “abbey” are both derived from the Aramaic ’abba. Jerome, the translator of the Latin Vulgate, objected to the use of the title “abbot” as applied to the Catholic monks in his time and did so on the basis that it violated Jesus’ instructions at Matthew 23:9: “Moreover, do not call anyone your father on earth, for one is your Father, the heavenly One.”
The name Barabbas
in the New Testament comes from the Aramaic phrase Bar Abba meaning "son of the father".
, Ah-ab
, Jo-ab
) is a matter of dispute. The identity of the -i- with the first person pronominal suffix (as in Adon
a-i), changing "father" to "my father", is uncertain, it might also be simply a connecting vowel. The compound may either express a nominal phrase (Ab[i]ram = "[my] father is exalted") or simply an apposition (Ab[i]ram = "father of exaltedness"). Forms with the connecting vowel and with the pronominal suffix were likely confused, so that the translation will depend on what is meaningful in connection with the second element.
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
" in most Semitic languages
Semitic languages
The Semitic languages are a group of related languages whose living representatives are spoken by more than 270 million people across much of the Middle East, North Africa and the Horn of Africa...
, sometimes extended to Abba or Aba.
Arabic
Ab (أَب), from a theoretical, abstract form ''ʼabawun (triliteralTriliteral
The roots of verbs and most nouns in the Semitic languages are characterized as a sequence of consonants or "radicals"...
ʼ
Aleph
* Aleph or Alef is the first letter of the Semitic abjads descended from Proto-Canaanite, Arabic alphabet, Phoenician alphabet, Hebrew alphabet, Syriac alphabet-People:*Aleph , an Italo disco artist and alias of Dave Rodgers...
-b
Bet (letter)
Bet, Beth, Beh, or Vet is the second letter of many Semitic abjads, including Arabic alphabet , Aramaic, Hebrew , Phoenician and Syriac...
-w
Waw (letter)
Waw is the sixth letter of the Northwest Semitic family of scripts, including Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, and Arabic ....
) is Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
for "father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
". The dual is ''ʼabawāni or ''ʼabāni "two fathers" or "mother and father" (''ʼābāʼi-ka meaning "thy parents").
li-llāhi ʼabū-ka is an expression of praise, meaning "to God is attributable [the excellence of] your father".
As a verb, ʼ-b-w means "to become [as] a father to [somebody]" (''ʼabawtu) or "to adopt [him] as a father" (ta'abbā-hu or ista'bā-hu).
In the construct state, Abū (أبو) is followed by another word to form a complete name, e.g.: Abu Mazen, another name for Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
.
Abu may be used as a kunya
Kunya (Arabic)
A kunya is a teknonym, the name of an adult derived from their child, especially their eldest son, in Arabic names.A kunya is expressed by the use of abū or umm in a genitive construction, i.e "father of" or "mother of" as a honorific in place of or alongside given names in the Arab world and the...
, an honorific. To refer to a man by his fatherhood (of male offspring) is polite, so that ''ʼabū takes the function of an honorific. Even a man that is as yet childless may still be known as abū of his father's name, implying that he will yet have a son called after his father.
The combination is extended beyond the literal sense: a man may be described as acting as a father in his relation to animals, e. g., Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr was a senior companion and the father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He ruled over the Rashidun Caliphate from 632-634 CE when he became the first Muslim Caliph following Muhammad's death...
, "the father of a camel's foal;" Abu Huraira, "father of kittens." In some cases, a man's enemies will refer to him in such a way to besmirch him, e.g. Abu Jahl, "the father of ignorace". A man may be described as being the possessor of some quality, as Abu'l Gadl, "father of grace," or "the graceful one;" Abu'l Fida, "father of devotion," or "the devout one." An object or a place may be given a nickname, such as Abu'l hawl, "father of terror," (the Sphinx
Sphinx
A sphinx is a mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head or a cat head.The sphinx, in Greek tradition, has the haunches of a lion, the wings of a great bird, and the face of a woman. She is mythicised as treacherous and merciless...
at Giza). Abu'l fulus, "father of money," is frequently used to refer to a place where rumors have been told of a treasure being hidden there.
The Swahili word Bwana, meaning "mister," "sir," or "lord," is derived from the Arabic Abuna (أبونا), "our father."
Aramaic
The word אבא ’abba in Aramaic corresponds to the emphatic or definite form of אב ’av, literally meaning “the father,” or “O Father.” Despite popular and persistent urban legend, it does not mean "daddy" or "pappa."A transliteration of this Aramaic word appears three times in the Greek New Testament of The Bible. Each time the term appears in transliteration it is followed immediately by the translation ho pater in Greek, which literally means “the father.” In each case it is used with reference to God.
Mark records that Jesus used the term when praying in Gethsemane shortly before his death, saying: “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; remove this cup from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.” (Mark 14:36)
The two other occurrences are in Paul’s letters, at Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6. It seems evident from these texts that, in apostolic times, the Christians made use of the term ’Abba in their prayers to God.
The word ’Abba came to be applied as a title of honor to the rabbis in the early centuries of the Common Era and is found as such in the Babylonian Talmud. (Berakhot 16b) The one acting in the capacity of vice-president of the Jewish Sanhedrin already held the title of ’Av, or Father of the Sanhedrin. In later periods the title was also applied to the bishops of the Coptic, Ethiopic, and Syrian churches and, more particularly, became the title of the Bishop of Alexandria. The English words “abbot” and “abbey” are both derived from the Aramaic ’abba. Jerome, the translator of the Latin Vulgate, objected to the use of the title “abbot” as applied to the Catholic monks in his time and did so on the basis that it violated Jesus’ instructions at Matthew 23:9: “Moreover, do not call anyone your father on earth, for one is your Father, the heavenly One.”
The name Barabbas
Barabbas
Barabbas or Jesus Barabbas is a figure in the Christian narrative of the Passion of Jesus, in which he is the insurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed at the Passover feast in Jerusalem.The penalty for Barabbas' crime was death by crucifixion, but according to the four canonical gospels and the...
in the New Testament comes from the Aramaic phrase Bar Abba meaning "son of the father".
Hebrew
אב Av means "father" in Hebrew. The exact meaning of the element ab (אב) or abi (אבי) in Hebrew personal names (such as Ab-ram, Ab-i-ramAbiram
Abiram, also spelled Abiron, |father]] is exalted") is the name of two people in the Old Testament. One was the son of Eliab, who, along with his brother Dathan, joined Korah in the conspiracy against Moses and Aaron. He and all the conspirators, with their families and possessions, were swallowed...
, Ah-ab
Ahab
Ahab or Ach'av or Achab in Douay-Rheims was king of Israel and the son and successor of Omri according to the Hebrew Bible. His wife was Jezebel....
, Jo-ab
Joab
Joab the son of Zeruiah, was the nephew of King David and the commander of his army, according to the Hebrew Bible.- Name :...
) is a matter of dispute. The identity of the -i- with the first person pronominal suffix (as in Adon
Adon
Adon is the Northwest Semitic for "lord", mostly used of deities.It may also refer to:*in the Tanakh Adon may be used for men and angels as well as to El*Adonai "my lord" in Jewish tradition is used as a euphemism to refer to God...
a-i), changing "father" to "my father", is uncertain, it might also be simply a connecting vowel. The compound may either express a nominal phrase (Ab[i]ram = "[my] father is exalted") or simply an apposition (Ab[i]ram = "father of exaltedness"). Forms with the connecting vowel and with the pronominal suffix were likely confused, so that the translation will depend on what is meaningful in connection with the second element.
See also
- AbdAbd (Arabic)Abd is an Arabic word meaning one who is totally subordinated; a slave or a servant.Abid is a given name meaning "worshipper". It is based on the Arabic word "Ibadah", i.e. worship...
- AbunaAbunaAlso see Leaders of ChristianityAbun is the honorific title used for any bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church as well as of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church...
- KunyaKunya (Arabic)A kunya is a teknonym, the name of an adult derived from their child, especially their eldest son, in Arabic names.A kunya is expressed by the use of abū or umm in a genitive construction, i.e "father of" or "mother of" as a honorific in place of or alongside given names in the Arab world and the...
- Hebrew nameHebrew nameHebrew names are names that have a Hebrew language origin, classically from the Hebrew Bible. They are mostly used by people living in Jewish or Christian parts of the world, but some are also adapted to the Islamic world, particularly if a Hebrew name is mentioned in the Qur'an. When...
- Mama and papaMama and papaIn linguistics, mama and papa refers to the sequences of sounds , and similar ones known to correspond to the word for "mother" and "father" in many languages of the world....
- IbnIBNIBN or ibn may refer to:In general* ibn, patronymic in Arabic personal names * IBN code page , a Nordic language code page under MS-DOS...
, an Arabic particle meaning "son" used to form names. - Ben (Hebrew)Ben (Hebrew)The Hebrew word Ben, meaning "son" forms part of many surnames in Hebrew. In the English Bible, such names include:* Ben-ammi, "son of my people."* Benaiah, "son of Yah."* Bene-berak, "sons of lightning."* Ben-hadad, "son of Hadad."...
, a Hebrew particle meaning "son" used to form names.