Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/helmô

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.

Proto-Germanic

Etymology

Usually thought to be from Proto-Indo-European *ḱél-mō, earlier *ḱél-mn̥, from the root *ḱel- (“to cover”); equivalent to *helaną +‎ *-mô. Cognate with Sanskrit शर्मन् (śárman, “shelter, protection”).^[1] However, the semantic connection is weak.

An alternative theory by Kroonen links *halmaz and *helmaz (“haulm, straw, stalk, cane”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱélh₂-m(on)-, assuming the original meaning of *helmô was closer to “cane” and referred just to the shaft of a handle implement.^[2]^[3]

Note the presence of *(s)- in the related synonyms.

Noun

*helmô m^[1]^[4]

handle, especially for steering a boat: helm, tiller
rudder
Synonym: *rōþrą

Inflection

masculine an-stemDeclension of *helmô (masculine an-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*helmô	*helmaniz
vocative	*helmô	*helmaniz
accusative	*helmanų	*helmanunz
genitive	*hilminiz	*helmanǫ̂
dative	*hilmini	*helmammaz
instrumental	*hilminē	*helmammiz

Related terms

Descendants

Proto-West Germanic: *helmō
- Old English: helma
  - Middle English: halm
    - English: helm
- Old Saxon: *helma
  - Middle Low German: helm; holm (-o- from -a-? or from a zero-grade?)
    - → German: Holm
- Old Dutch: *helma
  - Middle Dutch: helm
    - Dutch: helm
- Old High German: halme
  - Middle High German: halme, halm, helm
    - German: Helm (dialectal)
⇒ Old Norse: hjalmvǫlr, hjalmurvǫlr, hjalmarvǫlr, hjalmunvǫlr

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Vladimir Orel (2003) “xelmaz”, in A Handbook of Germanic Etymology‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 168
^ Guus Kroonen (2013) “*halma-”, in Alexander Lubotsky, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 204–205: “*helma-”
^ Kroonen, Guus (2011) “*helm, *hulmaz”, in The Proto-Germanic n-stems: A study in diachronic morphophonology, Amsterdam, New York: Rodopi, →ISBN, pages 162–163
^ Guus Kroonen (2013) “*helman-”, in Alexander Lubotsky, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 219

[HGE-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Vladimir Orel (2003) “xelmaz”, in A Handbook of Germanic Etymology‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 168

[EDPG-2] Guus Kroonen (2013) “*halma-”, in Alexander Lubotsky, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 204–205: “*helma-”

[PGnS-3] Kroonen, Guus (2011) “*helm, *hulmaz”, in The Proto-Germanic n-stems: A study in diachronic morphophonology, Amsterdam, New York: Rodopi, →ISBN, pages 162–163

[4] Guus Kroonen (2013) “*helman-”, in Alexander Lubotsky, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 219

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