salam to you!^^
well, i am also an arabic speaker, as well as some of those who claim that "salah" does not mean "prayer", but trying to understand the meaning of the word by looking at its root word..and in their view it is not odd at all^^
as well as not in mine..the arabic language in that aspect is very direct i think..for example, words of the same root word, like islam - aslim- muslim, you can expect that their meaning is very similar, their meaning would not spread out into different subjects!
i was just like you concerning that aspect..when i heard the words salah, hajj or zakah, i quickly connected them with the commly known islamic rituals prayer, pilgrimage and donation...but newly, i cannot understand anymore that the word "hajj" and its derivates mean to debate, to discuss in one verse, but in other parts of the quran, they mean a pilgrimage, something way different!
one should question if this unterstanding is right, or just an interpretation of our forefathers..
my thoughts concerning these points have changed newly, and especially the salah-thing is making me some headaches..^^
now i think that "salah" is semething way more than just praying to god, but i cannot say that to pray is a duty, or what praying is all about..
have to read all the quran and look up all the verses concerning the salah-issue in order to arrange my mind again^^
and no, i do not think that you would be hypicritical if you would explain to us your view about how much one should pray at a day, even if you fail to follow it..as you would just express your thoughts concerning that topic and discuss it with us.
you would be hypocritical if you say that you would pray that much all days and do not do it, or if you start to preach it all the time to others..but just by discussing or explaining it won't make you an hypocrite imo, as long as you are honest to yourself..=)
peace!