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Glite Dictionary
Semitic-speaking

Semitic-speaking

1 8.1
A person who speaks a language like Arabic or Hebrew
  • adjective
: semítico
  • The Semitic-speaking communities in the region have a rich cultural heritage.

Examples

  • She is fluent in Hebrew, making her a Semitic-speaking individual.

  • Hurrian- and Semitic-speaking peoples may have lived together for a long time," Wilhelm suggests, "because naming typically changes slowly.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Many historians study Semitic-speaking languages to understand ancient texts.

Surface Forms

Semitic-speaking positive

Morphology

Semitic-speaking = Semitic + speak (transparent) = Semitic + speak + ing

The compound combines 'Semitic' and the participial form of 'speak' to indicate ability to speak a Semitic language, which is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word Semitic-speaking starts with Semitic, which comes from the Biblical name Shem and was later used for peoples whose languages include Arabic and Hebrew, and it ends with speaking. So Semitic-speaking simply means able to speak one of those related languages.