Number: 2545
Proto-Semitic: *t_Vl-
Meaning: head of small cattle
Akkadian: aslu 'young (male) sheep' OB, SB [CAD a1 336], [AHw. 74]. The only OB attestation listed in CAD seems to be as-li namrāʔi in RA 22 173:44 which implies an emendation of the first sign (IA). This emendation (for which see also [Huehnergard GA 431]) is however hardly compelling since at least two Akk. ani- mal names (ayyalu 'stag' and ālu 'ram') can fit the context without changes (cf. jālī 'stags' in [CAD š2 254], 'rams' [ibid. l 227]). It is therefore likely that a. is not found earlier than SB (ÁS.LUM in Ur III Sum. documents is thought to represent this term in [AHw.] but united with ašlu 'rope' in [CAD]). For the possibility of regarding the early form A.LUM as a phonetic evolution of aslu or its specific orthographic representation (ASLUMx) see above, No. ... . ПОСМОТРЕТЬ MSL VIII/1 62
Arabic: t_aytal- 'vieux bouc de montagnes; espèce d'antilope' [BK 1 218], [LA XI 81]. Cf. also t_ilal-, t_ilāl- 'troupe de brebis, ou de brebis mêlée aux chèvres' [BK 1 232], [TA old VII 246].
Tigre: sǝle 'a species of goat' [LH 167].
Mehri: t_al 'weakly goat' [JM 417].
Harsusi: t_el id. [JH 32].
Notes: Not very reliable for a number of formal and semantic reasons: - s is not a regular continuation of PS *t_ in Akk. though precedents are not unknown; - the morphological structure of Arb. t_aytal- is very specific and difficult for a diachronic analysis; - the MSA terms may derive from a verbal root meaning 'to be weak' rather than represent a PS faunal term (cf. Jib. et_télél 'to become weak', mǝt_ílél 'weak (person, young animal)' [JJ 284]) though, admittedly, this verbal root is present in Jib. but not in Mhr. or Hrs. Cf. Amh. sala 'oryx beisa, a large antelope' [K 441].
