conc▪ Among the two values in the MSA D-stem raǧǧala, [v1] ‘to comb (hair)’ is prob. secondary, based on [v2] with the original caus. meaning of *‘to let (hair) fall down freely’. The latter meaning seems in its turn to be derived from ↗†RǦL_8 ‘set free with its mother’ (said of a suckling), which with all likelihood is based on ↗¹riǧl ‘foot’. The chain of semantic development can thus be imagined as follows: *‘foot > newly born (foal, etc.), managing/strong enough to stand on its own feet and run around freely, uncontrolled > to “release” the hair, let it fall down freely’. The value ‘to comb’ is a further development, as curly hair often needs to be treated with a comb in order to hang down freely. See also ↗†RǦL_9 †raǧil~raǧl~raǧal ‘somewhat curly (hair)’.
▪ The underlying idea of *‘set free, spreading freely, spontaneously, etc.’ can be found also in other items from the same root, such as ↗²riǧl ‘swarm (esp. of locusts)’, ↗³riǧl ‘common purslane’ (< *‘spreading freely’), ↗ĭrtaǧala ‘to improvise, extemporize’.
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