sweet-smelling, fragrant → good 3 realizations
ACCEPTED Realization 1
type Polysemy
language Akkadian
lexeme ṭābu
meaning 1 aromatic šaman pūri ṭāba lā tappaššiš ana irišīšu ipaḫḫurūka
Do not anoint yourself with fragrant pūru oil, they will swarm around you, attracted by its scent.
direction →
meaning 2 good, sweet, fresh, of good quality kīma ištu ūmim ša ana ālīya alliku ina šubtim ṭābtim lā ušbu
that ever since I went to my city I have not lived in a satisfactory place
reference CAD: ṭ 19-24
comment The basic meaning seems to be B, although the meaning A is well attested. In West Semitic, the meaning B is also the basic meaning, whereas the meaning A is rather marginal (cf. Arb.).
NEW Realization 2
type Polysemy
language Classical Arabic
lexeme ṭāba
meaning 1 to be good, pleasant, delightful
direction —
meaning 2 to be delicious, sweet, savoury, in taste and in odour
reference Lane: 1900
comment
ACCEPTED Realization 3
type Polysemy
language Geez
lexeme ḳədəw
meaning 1 that has a good smell, sweet-smelling rəʔiku 7 ʔadbāra məluʔāna sanbalt ḳədəwa wa-ʕəḍawa maʕāzā wa-ḳanānmon wa-papare (En. 32:1)
I saw seven sweet-smelling mountains full of nard, and fragrant trees and cinnamon and pepper
direction →
meaning 2 pure, clear, neat, tidy, excellent, precious, choicest ba-ʔalbās ḳədəw za-ʕəḍub śeṭu (1 Tim. 2:9)
with good expensive clothes
reference CDG: 423 LLA: 468
comment In Geez, the basic meaning seems to be B; the cognates in Tna., Tgr. and Arb. testify that the meaning A is primary: Tgr. ḳəduy 'fragrant, spicy' (EDH 260), Tna. ḳədit 'a kind of perfumed water, perfume, unguent, balm' (AET 1040); Arb. ḳadiyy- 'd'un goût et d'une odeur agréables' (BK 2 693; LA 15 172).

© Anna A. Zalizniak et al. 2000-2025