What/Who is a Semite?

[786]

Straightforward question- what defines someone being a Semite?

Peace be unto you

 

[Fraggle Rocker]

* * * * FROM THE LINGUISTICS MODERATOR * * * *

• In anthropology, the Semites are a group of related tribes in ancient southwestern Asia, such as the Akkadians, Amorites, Aramaeans, Canaanites, Hebrews and Phoenicians, as well as their modern descendants, such as the Arabs, Assyrians, Jews, Lebanese and Palestinians.
• In Biblical scholarship, the Semites are the tribes descended from Shem, Noah's eldest son.
• In modern vernacular language, the term "Semite" is often restricted exclusively to Jews, for example in the compound "antisemitism," which invariably means hatred of Jews only.

 

[jmpet]

Semites are Jews.

Peace be unto Allah

 

[Norsefire]

Fraggle Rocker gave a pretty solid answer.

Semites are typically thought of as only Jews, but in reality it's (if we say ethnically rather than linguistically) also people like Arabs, Akkadians, et cetera

 

[Cellar_Door]

Fraggle Rocker gave a pretty solid answer.

Semites are typically thought of as only Jews, but in reality it's (if we say ethnically rather than linguistically) also people like Arabs, Akkadians, et cetera

That's why the term 'antisemitism' is a bit misleading; not all Jews are Semites, and not all Semites are Jews.