Thread by @koutchoukalimar

There are some interesting points raised in this thread concerning the relationship between Sabaic and Ge'ez, as well as the Ethiopian script. Let's go through them one-by-one:

https://twitter.com/dbeniam/status/1288398053523763201

So first of all, the South Arabian and the Ge'ez script are very similar to eachother. It is generally believe that the latter came from the former, for both temporal reasons (which I already adressed), but for other reasons too:

There are a few problems that arise:
1) The Ethiopic letter ዘ (<z>) is clearly derived from the SA letter 𐩹, indicating a merger of <ḏ> and <z>, a which we know happened . If we assume an Ethiopian origin, we have to explain where Sab. 𐩹 <ḏ> and 𐩸 <z> came from.

The rotation of the symbols can be explained either way: however, when looking at early forms of SA script on the Arabian Peninsula it is clear that there was quite some variation. This is taken from MacDonald's map (look at the mīm in Thamudic C).

This indicates that the shape of letters was finalized differently in Ethiopic and South Arabian. But there are more indications. It's been suggested that Ethiopic was modeled on early cursive SA. Let's take a look at the shape of early cursive <h> in script and compare the Eth.

Now in my opinion the cursive SA is quite close to Eth. ሀ. It's a lot easier to explain Eth. ሀ coming from cursive SA <h> than the other way around: this particularly in the light of early cursive SA texts being attested on the Ar. Peninsula at the end of the 2nd mill. BCE.

Concerning the identification of Sheba with Meroe. I'm actually one of the people critical of identifying Sheba with South Arabia (for many different reasons). I am no specialist, but I think there are clues that favor an identification with Meroe. This is an open question.

But here we should consider the hist. context: it's not unthinkable that the authors of the Bible conflated two areas that they weren't very familiar with.

The usage of word divider : is certainly interesting, but doesn't really indicate an Ethiopian origin of the SA script.

If anything, this would mean we'd expect some attestations of a word divider : in the Sab. inscriptions in Ethopia, but to my understanding this is always | (as on the Peninsula).

Finally, (as my friend @bnuyaminim already pointed out, the name of the Sabaic deity is <lmqh>, whereas the Amharic አምላክ is clearly related Sem. *malku, "king". The origin of <ʾlmqh> is unknown (although a relation with Sem. *īlu seems likely).

Note that <k> and <q> are very distinct, and there is no evidence for these sounds ever merging in either Ethiopic or South Arabian.