Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/skipą
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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
Uncertain etymology.
One theory derives it from Proto-Indo-European *skēi-b-, *ski-b-. Compare Lithuanian skiẽbti (“to rip up”), Latvian škibît (“to cut, lop”). (Proto-Germanic *skapjaną has been considered related as well, but the phonetics pose difficulties.) The original meaning inherited from Proto-Indo-European was likely “hollowed tree”, and all daughter languages agree in the meaning “ship”, thus the specified meaning “ship” is assumed for Proto-Germanic, however the Old High German word also had the meaning “hollow object” and described various vessels and containers, so the Proto-Germanic word could also have been used in a more generic fashion. Moreover, one meaning does not have to exclude the other by rule. Compare the development of Old Norse skeið (“sheath; spoon; ship”), also from an extension of *skey-; cf. also unrelated Latin vās (“hollow object”), source of French vaisseau (“vessel”).
Kroonen instead claims that this word would rather be a loanword from Latin scyphus (“drinking vessel”).
Pronunciation
Noun
*skipą n
Inflection
| neuter a-stemDeclension of *skipą (neuter a-stem) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| singular | plural | ||
| nominative | *skipą | *skipō | |
| vocative | *skipą | *skipō | |
| accusative | *skipą | *skipō | |
| genitive | *skipas, *skipis | *skipǫ̂ | |
| dative | *skipai | *skipamaz | |
| instrumental | *skipō | *skipamiz | |
Related terms
- *skībǭ (“slice”) (possibly)
Derived terms
Descendants
- Proto-West Germanic: *skip
- Old Norse: skip
- Gothic: 𐍃𐌺𐌹𐍀 (skip)