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ariel · 23rd March 2006, 02:53 AM

Off we go to the forest of linguistics!
I do not know Arabic, but in Hebrew (another Semitic language) both words, "slave" and "servant, or worker for hire" derive from the same 3 letter root: ain, bet, daled. However, slave is eved (pl. avadim), whereas servant is oved (pl. ovdim). In the latter there is letter vav inserted between ain and vet.
In Hebrew, the word "worship" is "avodah" and a pious person is referred to as a "servant of G-d", never as "slave". Guess there must be noticeable difference in the God/man relations between Judaism and Islam. Here we enter theology...
Any takers?

23rd March 2006, 02:53 AM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Off we go to the forest of linguistics! I do not know Arabic, but in Hebrew (another Semitic language) both words, "slave" and "servant, or worker for hire" derive from the same 3 letter root: ain, bet, daled. However, slave is eved (pl. avadim), whereas servant is oved (pl. ovdim). In the latter there is letter vav inserted between ain and vet. In Hebrew, the word "worship" is "avodah" and a pious person is referred to as a "servant of G-d", never as "slave". Guess there must be noticeable difference in the God/man relations between Judaism and Islam. Here we enter theology... Any takers?