Sunday, July 13, 2008

Cherubs, Griffins, and Grimm Shifts


Because I think language is cool.

From JEK at http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/jek/09/29.html

Now the Hebrew word "cherub" has the root Kh-R-B, and the Greek word "gryph" has the root G-R-Ph. We see that the G and Kh are both back mutes or palatals, the R is the same in both words, and the B and Ph are both front mutes or labials. Hence a Gryphon, such as you see in Alice In Wonderland and elsewhere has a history connecting both the form of the creature and its name with the Semitic Cherub.

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