Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/kelþaz

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

Alternative forms

*keldiz^[1]

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *gelt-, *ǵelt- (“womb”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to ball up, amass”). Cognate with Danish kuld (“brood, litter”), Swedish kull (“brood, litter”), Icelandic kelta, kjalta (“lap”), Gothic 𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌸𐌴𐌹 (kilþei, “womb”), Sanskrit जर्त (jarta), जर्तु (jártu, “vulva”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈkel.θɑz/

Noun

*kelþaz n^[2]

fetus (child in the womb)
newborn; infant; child

Inflection

z-stemDeclension of *kelþaz (z-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*kelþaz	*kilþizō
vocative	*kelþaz	*kilþizō
accusative	*kelþaz	*kilþizō
genitive	*kilþiziz	*kilþizǫ̂
dative	*kilþizi	*kilþizumaz
instrumental	*kilþizē	*kilþizumiz

Descendants

Proto-West Germanic: *kelþ, *kilþ
- Old English: ċild
  - Middle English: child
    - English: child
    - Scots: child
Gothic: *𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌸𐍃 (*kilþs)
- ⇒ Gothic: 𐌹𐌽𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌸𐍃 (inkilþs, “pregnant”)

References

^ Guus Kroonen (2013) “*kulda- m. ‘litter (of progeny)’”, in Alexander Lubotsky, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 309f.: “OE cild n. ‘child’ < *keldiz-.”
^ Vladimir Orel (2003) “*kelþaz”, in A Handbook of Germanic Etymology‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 212

[1] Guus Kroonen (2013) “*kulda- m. ‘litter (of progeny)’”, in Alexander Lubotsky, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 309f.: “OE cild n. ‘child’ < *keldiz-.”

[HGE-2] Vladimir Orel (2003) “*kelþaz”, in A Handbook of Germanic Etymology‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 212

[1]

[2]

Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/kelþaz

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