to open (tr.)
→
to judge
3 realizations
Related shifts
| ID | Meaning 1 | Direction | Meaning 2 |
| ACCEPTED Realization 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| type | Polysemy | |
| language | Classical Arabic | |
| lexeme | fataḥa | |
| meaning 1 | to open, unlock | fataḥtu l-ʔabwāb-a I opened the doors. |
| direction | → | |
| meaning 2 | to judge | ʔiftaḥ baynanā Judge between us! |
| reference | Lane: 2327-28 | |
| comment | ||
| NEW Realization 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| type | Polysemy | |
| language | Geez | |
| lexeme | fatḥa | |
| meaning 1 | to open (tr.) | |
| direction | → | |
| meaning 2 | to decide, to solve | fətḥa nagaŝt The Verdicts of the Kings (code of the traditional law) |
| reference | CDG: 170 | |
| comment | Cf. also maftəḥ 1) solution, solving; 2) instrument for opening (key) (CDG 170). |
|
| NEW Realization 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| type | Polysemy | |
| language | Sabaic | |
| lexeme | fatḥ | |
| meaning 1 | to open (tr.) | |
| direction | → | |
| meaning 2 | to decide, to give a verdict (jur., legal) | bi-fatḥi mi/aswadi ˁararatim (Gl. 1563, OldSabaic inscr.) with the verdict of the council of Araratim |
| reference | Stein 2012, p. 2: 78 | |
| comment | ||
A path to semantic evolution is as follows: something was closed (i.e. problematic), and then it's been released, i.e. became known and obvious.
Not typical for North-Semitic languages (Akkadian, Hebrew), but prominent in the South-Semitic (Ethiopian). In the Koran, the usage is from Geez evidently (see Jeffery 221).