gacan

Somali

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Cushitic *ganc- (“palm of hand”). Compare Egyptian ḏnḥ, Arabic جَنَاح (janāḥ) and possibly Hausa hannu.

Cognate with Aweer ka'an, Jiiddu jiné, Baiso gene, Borana gana, Konso kan'aata, Afar ginnaq, Burji anga, Hadiyya anga, Kambaata anga, Yaaku kinne'e, Beja gan'a and possibly Iraqw ganaa' (“to be straight”) or gonggohhi (“elbow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡɑ̀ˈʕɑ́n/

Noun

gacán f (plural gacmo m)

1. hand

References

• “gacan”, in Qaamuuska Af-Soomaaliga, 2012