Five Enigmatic Neo-Aramaic Lexemes and Their Possible Etymologies

The article examines five enigmatic nouns from North-Eastern Neo-Aramaic and Neo-Mandaic, tracing their possible etymologies and semantic developments. These lexemes include bǝllaná ‘pocket’, derived from Akkadian abullu ‘gate’, which underwent a semantic change through the intermediary meaning of ‘aperture’. č̣ǝmmǝsta ‘louse nymph’ is linked to an innovative compound meaning ‘hair-taster’, reflecting imaginative lexical creativity. hawga ‘vapour’ originates from pre-modern Aramaic lahgā ‘vapour’, with phonological changes influenced by analogy. šandoxa ‘pestle’ or ‘grinding stone’ reflects a metaphorical calque on Akkadian kak madakki ‘tooth of the mortar’. Lastly, šǝwuyɔ ‘jackal’ evolved from a term for a planetary demon, highlighting semantic shifts driven by cultural perceptions. The study emphasises the roles of analogy, phonological change, and cultural context in shaping these lexical items.