Semitic languages

Semitic languages are a subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic languages, including:

The Northwest Semitic languages

• Hebrew language
• Aramaic language
• Ugaritic language -- extinct
• Amorite language -- extinct
• Phoenician language -- extinct
• Eblaite language -- extinct

The Southwest Semitic languages

• Arabic language
• Maltese language
• Ethiopic languages
  • Amharic language
  • Tigrinya language
  • Tigre language
  • Ge'ez language -- extinct

The Eastern Semitic Languages

• Akkadian language -- extinct

These languages all exhibit a pattern of words consisting of triconsonantal roots, with vowel changes, prefixes, and suffixes used to inflect them. For instance, in Hebrew:

gdl means "big" but is no part of speech and not a word, just a root

gadol means "big" and is an adjective

giddel means "he magnified"

magdelet means "magnifier" (lens)

spr is the root for "count" or "recount"

sefer means "book" (containing tales which are recounted)

sofer means "scribe" (Masoretic scribes counted verses)

mispar means "number".

Other Afro-Asiatic languages show similar patterns; e.g. in Tamashek Tawa akhluk means "creation" and ikhlakdu "he created".