K-T-B
Encyclopedia
K-T-B is a triconsonantal root of a number of Semitic
words, typically those having to do with writing.
The words for office, writer, and record all reflect this root. Most notably, the Arabic word kitab
(book) is also used in a number of Semitic
and Indo-Iranian languages
, as well as Turkish
. One cultural example would be the Mishnaic expression Katuv or the cognate
Arabic expression transliterated as Maktoub, which may be translated as: It is written. Another would be the Koutoubia mosque of Marrakech
, whose name is taken from the librarians and booksellers who once occupied that area.
In Persian, the word Kitab is used to refer to a religious text only. To a lesser extent in Hebrew, the word "Katuv" as a noun refers to the Tanakh
.
In Hebrew, the root "K-T-B" (in Hebrew, the B in this word always turns into a V) is used for all forms of writing, but it is not used for the noun for 'book', which is sefer.
Semitic
In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages...
words, typically those having to do with writing.
The words for office, writer, and record all reflect this root. Most notably, the Arabic word kitab
Kitab
Kitab-Verlag is a publishing house in Klagenfurt, Austria. It primarily focuses on books about the history of the culture of the near east and on modern literature from Austria, Slovenia, and Italy...
(book) is also used in a number of Semitic
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...
and Indo-Iranian languages
Indo-Iranian languages
The Indo-Iranian language group constitutes the easternmost extant branch of the Indo-European family of languages. It consists of three language groups: the Indo-Aryan, Iranian and Nuristani...
, as well as Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
. One cultural example would be the Mishnaic expression Katuv or the cognate
Cognate
In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common etymological origin. This learned term derives from the Latin cognatus . Cognates within the same language are called doublets. Strictly speaking, loanwords from another language are usually not meant by the term, e.g...
Arabic expression transliterated as Maktoub, which may be translated as: It is written. Another would be the Koutoubia mosque of Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
, whose name is taken from the librarians and booksellers who once occupied that area.
In Persian, the word Kitab is used to refer to a religious text only. To a lesser extent in Hebrew, the word "Katuv" as a noun refers to the Tanakh
Tanakh
The Tanakh is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible. The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra. The name is an acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah , Nevi'im and Ketuvim —hence...
.
In Hebrew, the root "K-T-B" (in Hebrew, the B in this word always turns into a V) is used for all forms of writing, but it is not used for the noun for 'book', which is sefer.