4.9. Other Conjunctions
4.9.6. እም ʾəm
እም ʾəm204 is a variant of እምነ ʾǝmǝnna which is used as a conjunction and a preposition.
Similarly, Dillman calls it a shortened form of ʾǝmǝnna. According to his view, ʾǝmǝnna is often used than ʾǝm particularly in old manuscripts205
It can be attached to all lexical elements except the imperatives and gerund.
However, as a conjunction, it is specifically attached to perfectives, imperfectives and subjunctives. It also functions as a preposition being combined with the non-verbal elements.206 Let us see now how it functions as a conjunctional element.
4.9.6.1. In a conditional sentence which is constructed with a conjunction ‘If’, ʾəm can be directly attached to perfectives to express uncertain conditions which might happen in the past.
Textual evidences:
204 Dillmann 1865, 191; Kidāna Wald Kǝfle 1955, 138, 140; Leslau 1989, 22, 134; Yāred Šiferaw 2009, 351, 404.
205 Dillmann 1907, 392, 418.
206 ʾƎm is the only conjunctional and prepositional element ending with a sixth order radical. For this special reason, whenever it goes to be combined with any linguistic element which begins with one of the seven orders of the syllable መ ma, the ending syllable of ʾǝm ም mǝ will automatically disappear from the combination. (This is in fact concerned with the Gǝʿǝz transliteration only). On the other way round, if a verb or a nominal derivation or a personal name which begins with any one of the seven orders of the issued syllable is directly combined with ʾǝm, its first radical absorbs the ending radical of the element m and gets geminated. This means double consonants of the same syllable are attested in the transliteration. Example: እም ʾǝm + መሰልነ masalna = እመሰልነ ʾǝm-masalna ʾǝgziʾǝ-ya nǝguś dāwit ; እም ʾǝm + መንበርክ manbarǝ-ka = እመንበርከ ʾǝm-manbarǝ-ka. 1 Kgs 1:37; Isa. 1:9.
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175
4.9.6.1.1. ሶበሰ፡ በዝንቱ፡ ዓለም፡ መንግሥትየ፡ እም፡ ተበአሱ፡ ሊተ፡ ወዐልየ፡ ከመ፡
ኢይግባእ፡ ለአይሁድ። (John 18:36).
soba-ssa ba-zəntu ʿālam mangəśtǝ-ya
<Conj-Part> <Prep-Pdem:3m.s.Nom> <NCom:m.s.Nom> <NCom:m.s.Nom-PSuff:1c.
ʾəm tabaasu li-ta waʿalǝ-ya kama ʾi-yyəgbāʾǝ s> <Conj> <V:Perf.3m.p> <Prep-Psuff:1c.s> <NCom:m.s.Nom-PSuff> <Conj>
la-ʾayhud
<PartNeg-V:Subj.1cs> <Prep-NPro:unm.p.Nom>
‘If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews’.
Further references: Gen. 31:12; John 11:32.
4.9.6.2. When it is combined with perfectives, it should always have such a role.
Otherwise, it must be followed by ከመ kama or ዘ za to be combined with Perfectives and Imperfectives. So, the combination may consist of three elements (ʾəm + kama/ za + verb).
4.9.6.3. When it is combined with ከመ kama, it may have alternate meanings ‘as’, ‘after’,
‘if’, ‘when’ and ‘unless’. But when it is combined with za, it may rather reflect the concept of ‘since’, ‘while’ and ‘after’ in expression of time, age or duration of certain things that happened before. See the following textual accounts.207
Textual evidences:
(እም ʾəm + ከመ kama )
4.9.6.3.1. ወእምከመ፡ ሰምዑ፡ ቃለ፡ ይመጽእ፡ ሰይጣን፡ ሶቤሃ፡ ወይነሥእ፡ እም፡
ልቦሙ፡ ቃለ፡ ዘተዘርዐ። (Mark 4:16).
wa-ʾǝm-kama-samʿu qāla yəmaṣṣʾǝ sayṭān
<Conj-Conj-Conj> <V:Perf.3m.p> <NCom:m.s.Acc> <V:Imperf.3m.s> <NCom:m.s.
sobehā wa-yənaśśʾǝ ʾǝm lǝbb-omu qāla za-tazarʿa Nom> <Adv> <Conj-V:Imperf.3m.s> <Prep> <NCom:unm.s-Psuff:3m.p>
<NCom:m.s.Acc> <PRel-V:Perf.3m.s>
‘As they hear the word, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word which has been sown from their heart’.
207 Tropper 2002, 147. Leslau’s construction ‘la-ʾəm-kama’ is somehow strange. 2006; 285.
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176
4.9.6.3.2. ተሐውሩ፡ ኀበ፡ ኀለይክሙ፡ እምከመ፡ ግኅሥክሙ፡ ኀበ፡ ገብርክሙ። (Gen.
18:5).
taḥawwǝru ḫaba ḫallay-kǝmu ʾǝm-kama gǝḫǝś-kǝmu
<V:Imperf.2m.p> <Conj> <V:Perf.2m.p-PSuff:2m.p> <Conj-Conj> <V:Perf.2m.p- ḫaba gabrǝ-kǝmu
PSuff:2m.p> <Prep> <NCom:m.s.Nom-PSuff:2m.p>
‘You will go wherever you thought after you enter to (the house of) your servant’.
4.9.6.3.3. እምከመ፡ ሰክረ፡ ልቡ፡ ለአምኖን፡ በወይን፡ እቤለክሙ፡ ቅትልዎ። (2 Sam.
13:28).
ʾǝm-kama sakra lǝbb-u la-ʾamnon
<Conj-Conj> <V:Perf.3m.s> <NCom:m.s.Nom-PSuff:3m.s> <Prep(g)-NPro:m.s.Nom>
ba-wayn ʾǝbela-kkǝmu qǝtǝlǝww-o
<Prep-NCom:unm.s.Nom> <V:Imperf.1c.s> <V:Impt.2m.p-PSuff:3m.s>
‘When Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, I say to you: kill him!’.
Further references: Ps. 103:22, 28; Jas. 1:11.
4.9.6.3.4. እምከመ፡ ሊተ፡ አእመርክሙኒ፡ እም፡ አእመርክምዎ፡ ለአቡየኒ። (John 14:7).
ʾǝm-kama li-ta ʾaʾmarkǝmu-ni ʾǝm ʾaʾmarkəməww-o
<Conj-Conj> <Prep-Psuff:1c.s> <V:Perf.2m.p-PSuff:1c.s> <Conj> <V:Perf.2m.p- la-ʾabu-ya-ni
PSuff: 2m.p-PSuff:3m.s> <Prep-NCom:m.s.Nom-PSuff:1c.s-Part>
‘If you had known me, you would have known my Father also’.
Further references: Gen. 12:12; 1 Sam. 20:9; Mark 3:11, 5:28, 13:29; Rom. 5:10.
4.9.6.3.5. እምከመ፡ ኢትትገዘሩ፡ በሕገ፡ ሙሴ፡ ኢትክሉ፡ ሐዪወ። (Acts 15:1).
ʾǝm-kama ʾi-tətgazzaru ba-ḥəgga muse
<Conj-Conj> <PartNeg-V:Imperf.2m.p> <Prep-NCom:unm.s.ConSt> <Npro:m.s.
ʾi-təklu ḥayiwa
Nom> <PartNeg-V:Imperf.2m.p> <V:Inf.Acc>
‘Unless you are circumcised according to the Law of Moses, you cannot be saved’.
Conjunctions
177
እም ʾəm + ዘ za208
4.9.6.3.6. እስመ፡ ጕንዱይ፡ መዋዕል፡ እምዘ፡ አስሐቶሙ፡ በሥራዩ። (Acts 8:11).
ʾǝsma gwǝnduy mawāʿǝl ʾǝmza ʾasḥt-omu ba-śǝrāy-u
<Conj> <NCom:m.s.Nom> <NCom:m.s.Nom> <Conj-V:Perf.3m.s-PSuff:3m.p>
<Prep-NCom:unm.s.Nom-Psuff:3m.s>
‘Because it is long time since he deceived them in his magic’.
4.9.6.3.7. ወእምዘ፡ ወፅኡ፡ እሙንቱ፡ አምጽኡ፡ ኀቤሁ፡ ዘጋኔን። (Matt. 9:32).
wa-ʾəmza waṣ͎u ʾǝmmuntu ʾamṣ͎ǝʾu ḫabe-hu za-gānen
<Conj-Conj> <V:Perf.3m.p> <PPer:3m.p.Nom> <V:Perf.3m.p> <Prep-PSuff:3m.s>
<PRel -NCom:unm.s.Nom>
‘After they went out, they brought a demon-possessed man to him’.
4.9.6.3.8. ወእምዘፈጸመ፡ ፍርየተ፡ ሶቤሃ፡ ይፌኑ፡ ማዕፀደ። (Mark 4:29).
wa-ʾəmza faṣṣama fǝryata sobehā yǝfennu māʿḍada
<Conj-Conj> <V:Perf.3m.s> <V:Inf.Acc> <Adv> <V:Imperf.3m.s> <NCom:m.s.Acc>
‘But when it is finished producing a fruit, he immediately puts a sickle’.
Further references: Exod. 19:1; Enoch (com.) 2:1; 1 Kgs 3:19; Ezra 1:1.
4.9.6.4. The combination with a subjunctive is a direct combination without intercession of any substantive element. In such cases, its meaning will be ‘rather than’.
Textual evidences:
4.9.6.4.1. ይኄይሰነ፡ አሐደ፡ ብእሴ፡ ንቅትል፡ ወይሙት፡ ህየንተ፡ ሕዝብ፡ እም፡
ይትኀጐል፡ ኵሉ፡ ሕዝብ። (John 11:50).
yəḫeyyəsa-nna ʾaḥada bəʾse nəqtəl wa-yəmut
<V:Imperf.1c.p> <NumCa.m.Acc> <NCom:m.s.Acc> <V:Subj:1c.p> <Conj-V:Subj:3m həyyanta ḥəzb ʾəm yətḫagwal kwəllu ḥəzb
.s> <Prep> <NCom:unm.p.Nom> <Conj> <V:Subj.3m.s> <ProTot:Nom>
<NCom:m.s.Nom>
‘It is better for us that we may kill one man, and that he shall die instead of the people rather than the whole people would perish’.
Further references: Ps. 50:3; Prov. (com.) 2:19; Jas. 3:6; Gdl.Qaw 1:31.
208 Ibid; Leslau 2006, 22.
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178
4.9.6.5. Sometimes, in the same attachment, the relative pronoun za may come first as a prefix being attached to the element. In this case, the meaning that will be found out of the combination is either ‘instead of’ or ‘rather than’.
Textual evidence:
4.9.6.5.1. ወቀተልክዎ፡ በሴቄላቅ፡ ለዝንቱ፡ ዘእም፡ አሀቦ፡ ዐስበ፡ ዜናሁ። (2 Sam. 4:10).
wa-qatalkǝw-o ba-seqqelāq la-zǝntu
<Conj-V:Perf.1c.s-PSuff:3m.s> <Prep-Npro:pl.s.Nom> <Prep-Pdem:3m.s.Nom> <PR
za-ʾǝm ʾahabb-o ʿasba zena-hu
el-Conj> <V:Subj.1c.s-PSuff:3m.s> <NCom:m.s.ConSt> <NCom:unm.s.Nom-PSuff:
3m.s>
‘I killed him in Ziklag instead that I give him the reward of his news’.
In this sentence, the presence of za did not introduce a new idea; it would have kept the same meaning even if za was not yet present. Thus, we can perceive that in such a combination, za has no impact on the proper meaning of the attachment.
4.9.6.6. The same way, a particle ነ na can be combined with እም ʾǝm as a suffix when it plays the role of a preposition. Here again, the presence of the particle does not introduce any grammatical change.
Textual evidences:
4.9.6.6.1. እምነ፡ ዘተርፈ፡ ቃለ፡ መጥቅዖሙ፡ ለሠለስቱ፡ መላእክት። (Rev. 8:13).
ʾǝmǝnna za-tarfa qāla maṭqǝʿo-mu la-śalastu
<Conj> <PRel-V:Perf.3m.s> <NCom:unm.s.ConSt> <NCom:unm.s.Nom> <Prep()- malāʾǝkt
Num.Ca.Nom> <NCom:m.p.Nom>
‘Because of the remaining blast of the trumpet of the three angels’.
4.9.6.6.2. ወብዙኅ፡ ሰብእ፡ ዘሞተ፡ እምነ፡ ምረሮሙ፡ ለማያት። (Rev. 8:11).
wa-bǝzuḫ sabǝʾ za-mota ʾǝmnna mǝrar-omu
<Conj-NCom:m.s.Nom> <NCom:ms.s.Nom> <PRel-V:Perf.3m.s> <Conj> <NCom:
la-māyāt
unm.s.NCom:unm.s.Nom-Psuff:3m.p> <Prep-NCom:ms.p.Nom>
‘And many people died from the bitterness of the waters’.
Further references: Matt. 24:12; Prov. (com.) 1:33, 5:4, 24.
When it functions as a preposition, its English equivalent meaning is ‘from’. With this regard, as mentioned in advance, not only some specific elements but various
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179
language elements except verbs will be combined with it by taking the second position in the combination. Nouns, pronouns, nominal derivations, numerals, infinitives and other ACPPIP elements are some of the components that take part in such a combination with ʾǝm.
Textual evidence:
4.9.6.7. እምኀበ፡ ውሉዶሙኑ፡ ወሚመ፡ እምኀበ፡ ነኪር። (Matt. 17:25).
ʾǝm-ḫaba wǝlud-omu-nu wa-mimma ʾǝm-ḫaba nakir
<Prep-Prep> <NCom:m.p.Nom-Psuff:3m.p-PartInt> <Conj-Conj> <Prep-Prep>
<NCom:m.s. Nom>
‘Is it from their children or from foreigners?’.
Further references: 1 Kgs 1:37; Matt 17:26, 21:19; Luke 10:30, 24:47; Acts 20:33; Rom.
16: 24, 16:24; 1Tim. 1:19; 2 Cor. 9:2; Rev. 2:5, 7:2, 8:11.
In some combination, ʾǝm introduces an additional concept of ‘starting from’ or
‘since’, most probably when the combined word is dealing with time.
Textual evidence:
4.9.6.8. እስመ፡ ሰብአ፡ አካይያ፡ አስተዳለዉ፡ እም፡ ቀዳሚ፡ ዓም። (2 Cor. 9:2).
ʾǝsma saba ʾakāyǝyā ʾastadālawu ʾǝm qadāmi ʿām
<Conj> <NCom:ms.p.ConSt> <NCom:pl.s.Nom> <V:Perf.3m.p> <Conj>
<NCom:m.s.Nom> <NCom:ms.s.Nom>
‘For the Achaians have prepared since last year’.
Further references: Ezra 4: 19; Gdl.Qaw 2:11.
Again, in some combinations, ʾǝm serves as a reason-providing conjunction with the meaning ‘because of’ or ‘for the reason of/ that’. Have a look at the readings mentioned earlier under 4.9.6.6.1.