Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/bregdaną

This Proto-Germanic 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.

From *breh- (“to flash, move quickly”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrēḱ-, *bʰrēǵ- (“to shine, shimmer”).

An alternative etymology derives *breh- from Proto-Indo-European *mrekʷ-, *merǝkʷ-, *merǝgʷ- (“to shimmer”). If so, then cognate with Lithuanian mirkčioti (“to blink, flicker, wink, twinkle, shimmer, sparkle”), Russian морга́ть (morgátʹ, “to blink, wink”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈbreɣ.ðɑ.nɑ̃/

*bregdaną^[1]

1. to flicker, flutter, jerk, tug (on), twitch, flinch, move, swing

• *brigdilaz

• *bragz
• *brehaną

• Proto-West Germanic: *bregdan
  • Old English: breġdan, brēdan
    • Middle English: breiden, breden
      • English: braid
      • Scots: breed, brade, braid, bray
  • Old Frisian: breida, brēda, brīda
    • North Frisian: brüjen
    • Saterland Frisian: braidje
    • West Frisian: breidzje
  • Old Saxon: bregdan
    • Middle Low German: breiden
      • Low German: breien, breiden
  • Old Dutch: *bregdan
    • Middle Dutch: breiden
      • Dutch: breien
        • Afrikaans: brei
  • Old High German: brettan
    • Middle High German: brëtten
      • German: bretten (obsolete)
• Old Norse: bregða
  • Icelandic: bregða
  • Faroese: bregða
  • Old Swedish: breghþa
  • Danish: brejde, bebrejde
  • → Scots: bregd, breg; braith, brath