Beiträge zur semitischen Dialektologie Festschrift für Werner Arnold zum 60. Geburtstag

Abstract

The levels of rain fall per annum in the area of Palestine are relatively low. Underground water sources and other permanent water sources were therefore tapped into and used in these areas which have very different topographical features and appearances. The fact that water is such a scarce and therefore precious commodity has resulted in an urgent need to simultaneously utilize and maintain all available water sources and facilities. The Palestinian inhabitants were forced to adapt to their environments and developed many methods to use water responsibly for their daily activities. Through these methods people were able to have continuous access to water in order to use it for their animals and to irrigate their plants or crops. This paper is an ethno-lexical study, firstly, to define the form and the function of each facility and, secondly, to trace the etymology, lexical counterparts, and their origins in Semitic and non-Semitic languages. A general overview of the cultural contexts of these water sources, which played a crucial role in the daily lives of the inhabitants, has resulted in the water sources being categorized according to their nature, namely, natural water sources, artificial water sources and irrigation facilities