Etymology
Disputed:
- Most likely derived from the preposition ܩܵܕ݇ܡ (qām, “before”).
- Possibly also derived from Aramaic קָם (qām, literally “he/it rose”); related to the verb ܩܵܐܹܡ (qāˀēm) and one of the only traces left of the perfect tense in the language.
- Possibly derived from Aramaic [script needed] (qḏam, literally “he did beforehand; he acted before”); related to Classical Syriac ܩܵܕ݂ܹܡ and one of the only traces left of the perfect tense in the language. This root lost the /d/ element in many words.
- Also proposed to be from ܩܵܐܸܡ (qāˀim)
This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.
Particle
ܩܸܡ • (qim)
- (auxiliary) Used to change objects to the accusative case in the preterite past tense
- ܩܸܡ ܒܵܪܹܐ ܠܹܗ ― qim bārē lēh ― He created him.
- ܩܸܡ ܡܣܲܦܹܝܢ ܠܹܗ ܐܸܠܵܗ̇. ― qim msappēn lēh illāh. ― I handed it down to her.
- (auxiliary, used with ܗ݇ܘܵܐ (wā)) Used to change objects to the accusative case in the imperfect tense
- ܟܸܡ ܒܵܪܹܐ ܗ݇ܘܵܐ ܠܹܗ ― kim bārē wā lēh ― He had created him.
Usage notes
- The function of this particle differs by dialect and speakers. Another way this is expressed is by attaching the objective pronoun suffix at the end of the absolute form of the past participle before the ܠ- (l-) clitic, ie. for the above example, ܒܪܹܐ ܠܹܗ ܠܹܗ ― brē lēh lēh ― he created him or ܒܸܪܝܹܗ ܠܹܗ ― biryēh lēh by false analogy with ܒܸܪܝܵܐ ܠܹܗ ― biryā lēh misanalysed as ܒܸܪܝܵܗ̇ ܠܹܗ ― biryāh lēh. Also simply ܒܪܹܐ ܠܹܗ ― brē lēh, but this may also mean “he created”.