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Glite Dictionary
Canaanite language

Canaanite language

9.9
A group of related ancient languages once spoken in Canaan before the Israelite conquest
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : lengua cananita
  • The inscriptions found on ancient tablets were written in the Canaanite language.

Examples

  • Phoenician is a well-known variety of the Canaanite language family.

  • Scholars study the Canaanite language to better understand the history of the Levant region.

  • The Canaanite language was spoken in ancient times.

  • Many scholars study the Canaanite languages to understand ancient cultures.

  • Scholars study the Canaanite language to better understand the history of the Levant region.

  • The inscriptions found on ancient tablets were written in the Canaanite language.

  • Many scholars study the Canaanite language to understand ancient cultures.

Synonyms

Canaanite
vsCanaanite language
  • Specialized
9.9

An old language once spoken by people in Canaan before the Israelite conquest

is the same meaning but given as a full phrase explicitly naming the language

Surface Forms

Canaanite language singular
Canaanite languages plural

Morphology

Canaanite + language

The phrase is a straightforward nominal composition: combining 'Canaanite' (relating to the people/place Canaan) with 'language' yields 'the language of the Canaanites'. This compositional pattern (X + language = language spoken by X) is cross-linguistically common and non-idiomatic, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand the meaning.

Etymology

The name Canaanite language comes from the land Canaan, a place named in the Bible where people once lived. So, the phrase means 'the old languages spoken by the people of Canaan'.