to spit to bless 1 realization
ACCEPTED Realization 1
Type Polysemy
Language Amharic
Lexeme märräḳä
Meaning 1 to spit
Direction
Meaning 2 to bless, give benediction
Reference : 180
Comment

Cf. also Amh., Soq. məraḳ ‘saliva’.

This comes from the practice all over Ethiopia of spitting with the purpose of blessing. In Or. tufa 'blessing of good wishes by means of saliva blown lightly towards the face or object to be blessed’ (Appleyard 57).

The root reconstructed *rḳ - to spit (SED I No. 81ᵥ) as a biconsonantal element with various triconsonantizing augments in individual languages.