banned for zombification...
Actually, I never said anything specific about Semitic people. In fact, I am actually Jewish and do descend from Semitic people who, although were defined by their language much in the way most Indo-European people are, are an ethnic group like any other. Yes, it includes, Arabs, Hebrews, and Assyrians. I never said otherwise. In fact, I just wanted a word that sounded similar to 'semantic'.
Semitic languages are not actually rooted in Hebrew, but it is one of the few remaining variations from the earliest times.
The North African dialects are a result of two origins. The first are the Carthaginians which were an offshoot of the Phoenicians. The second is the introduction of Arabic as Islam spread across the region and then broken up amongst the Almohads, Almovids, etc.
True, 'anti-Semitic' does mean you hate the entire linguistic family, but like many facets of prejudice it is designed to make people happy. The term 'race' itself means nothing, but is used all the time. If you ask many prejudicial Arabs, they will say they are 'anti-Semitic' and reject any argument that they themselves are, technically, Semitic. I've had the discussion very often and it rarely gets anywhere.
Judaism is not an ethnic group. It is a religion. Hebrew is an ethnic group. Hebrew is also a language which has become popularized beyond the ethnic group. The terms correlate often enough where they have become interchangeable to most people. Most people I know fail to speak proper English and I would probably start with 'conversate' before moving on to such an advanced topic.
So, I know how you feel.
