Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/wolkos

This Proto-Celtic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Uncertain. Possibly related to *ulkos (“bad, evil”), hinted by early Celtic farmers' hostility towards birds of prey. If so, cognate with Old Irish olc. However, this is uncertain. Alternatively perhaps related to Latin falcō (“falcon”).

*wolkos m

1. hawk

• Brythonic: *gwalx
  • Breton: gwalc'h
  • Welsh: gwalch
• Gaulish: *Wolcās
  • Latin: Volcae
• →? Old Norse: valr (“falcon”)

From Proto-Indo-European *wólkos, an o-grade *-os noun formed from a root *welk-.

Matasović derives *welk- from Proto-Indo-European *welg- (“wet”). A root noun ending in *-g-s (Matasović supposes *wṓlg-s ~ *wolg-os) would have the velar devoice to *-k-, which would then spawn a neo-root as the nominative -k- would be generalized throughout the root noun's paradigm.

*wolkos m

1. rain, shower
2. wet weather

• *wolkīti

• Proto-Brythonic: *gwolx
  • Breton: gwalc'h, golc'h
  • Welsh: golch (“washing, lotion”)
• Middle Irish: folc
  • Irish: folc