Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site ulysses.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxj!aluxz!mhuxi!mhuxa!ulysses!smb From: smb@ulysses.UUCP Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: Amen Message-ID: <498@ulysses.UUCP> Date: Sat, 16-Jul-83 14:56:11 EDT Article-I.D.: ulysses.498 Posted: Sat Jul 16 14:56:11 1983 Date-Received: Sun, 17-Jul-83 00:29:09 EDT References: <179@auvax.UUCP> Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill Lines: 18 "Amen" is derived from the equivalent Hebrew word (best transliterated as "ah-MAIN" or "or-MAIN"), and is a standard feature of Jewish liturgy. The dictionary I have at home (Random House American College Dictionary) gives the following: a-men, interj. 1. it is so; so be it (used after a prayer, creed, or other formal statement). --adv. 2. verily, truly. --n. 3. an expression of concurrence or assent. [from Hebrew]. A Hebrew-English dictionary I have translates the Hebrew word so "so be it". Perhaps coincidentally, the Random House dictionary also has an entry for "Amen", a minor Theban god with the head of a ram, symbolizing fertility and life, later identified by the Egyptians with the sun god, Amen-Ra, their principal deity. The name is also spelled "Amon". The etymology given is "taken from Egyptian, explained as "the one who hides his name"]. I don't know if there is any etymological connection between the Hebrew and Egyptian words; any experts out there?