Note 465 — Chapter VIII · THE SWORD IN ANCIENT EGYPT AND IN MODERN AFRICA.

As a specimen of the roots—which are most remarkable when they consist of single consonants, whose reduplication made the earliest words—take ‘papa’ and ‘mamma.’ The former is from the Egyptian pa-pa (root p), to produce, the original idea of the begetter; and the latter is ma-ma (root m), to carry, be pregnant, bear. Mut becomes mátá, μήτηρ, mater, mother: Mer (a-mor), love; meran (morior), die, and more (mare), the sea. In ‘Semitic’ we have má, Heb. and Arab. má, water; and a long array of other words (as ia, yes, yea; and na, nay) too extensive for notice.