Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/gamalaz

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.

Uncertain with multiple theories:

• Often derived from an o-grade *ǵʰyom- of Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰyem- (“winter”), with loss of *-y-) and semantic shift "winter" > "number of winters elapsed" > "aged", and compared with Latin hiems (“winter”), though this is semantically weak;
• Analyzed as *ga-mēlą, from *ga- (“co-, wholeness suffix”) +‎ *mēlą (“point in time”);
• Alternatively, from an old Proto-Indo-European compound *ḱom-h₂el-o, from *ḱom (“beside, with”) +‎ *h₂el- (“to grow”), related to *aldaz (“old”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈɣɑ.mɑ.lɑz/

*gamalaz

1. old, weak

   Synonym: *aldaz

• *gamalōną

• *gimrį̄

• Old English: gamol, gomel, gomol
• Old Frisian: *gamel
  • Saterland Frisian: gammel
• Old Saxon: *gamal
  • Middle Low German: *gammel
    • ⇒ Low German: gammlig
      • → German: gammelig
    • → Dutch: gammel
• Old Dutch: *gamal
  • Middle Dutch: gamel
    • Dutch: gamel (dialectal)
• Old High German: gamal (only in names)
• Old Norse: gamall
  • Icelandic: gamall
  • Faroese: gamal
  • Elfdalian: gåmål
  • Norn: gammel
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: gamal, gammal, gamall
    • → Norwegian Bokmål: gammal
  • Norwegian: gammalle, gåmål, gåmæⁱll, gabmal, gamadle (dialectal)
  • Old Swedish: gamal
    • Swedish: gammal
  • Danish: gammel
    • Norwegian Bokmål: gammel
  • Gutnish: gammel, gamal

• Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon (1989) Íslensk orðsifjabók, Reykjavík: Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, →ISBN (Available at Málið.is under the “Eldri orðabækur” tab.)