Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/skelfō

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

*skelbō, *skelbǭ

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *(s)kel(H)-p-, from *(s)kelH- (“to cut, split, divide”).

Noun

*skelfō f

crag, cliff
flat surface (e.g. floor, deck, shelf, ledge, etc.)

Inflection

ō-stemDeclension of *skelfō (ō-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*skelfō	*skelfôz
vocative	*skelfō	*skelfôz
accusative	*skelfǭ	*skelfōz
genitive	*skelfōz	*skelfǫ̂
dative	*skelfōi	*skelfōmaz
instrumental	*skelfō	*skelfōmiz

Related terms

*halbaz

Descendants

Proto-West Germanic: *skelfu f, *skelf m
- Old English: sċielf m
- Old Frisian: *skelfe f, *skelf m
  - West Frisian: skelf m or f
- Old Saxon: *skelfa f, *skelf m or n
  - Middle Low German: schelf n
    - German Low German: Schelf f
- Old Dutch: *skelfa f, *skelf m
  - Middle Dutch: scelf, scelve m or f
    - Dutch: schelf f
- ⇒ Proto-West Germanic: *skilfijā
  - Old English: sċielfe, sċylfe, sċilfe
    - Middle English: schelfe, shelf
      - English: shelf
      - Scots: schelf, shelf, skelf (skelf through confluence with Old Norse skjalf)
Old Norse: *skjǫlf, *skjálf
- Icelandic: skjölf (“craggy ledge”)
- Norwegian: (in placenames) skjalf, skjelv, skjev
- Swedish: (in placenames) skälv, skölv, skjalf, skälf, skiälf
- ⇒ Old Norse: Hliðskjǫlf

Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/skelfō

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