Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/slaiwaz

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. Expected to reflect either pre-Germanic *sloy(H)-wo-s or *slo/aH-i-wo-s. Kroonen prefers the former, tentatively comparing Sanskrit स्रीव्यति (srī́vyati, “to turn out badly, fail”) for Proto-Indo-European *sliH-u-. For the latter, compare Ancient Greek λαιός (laiós, “left (side); awkward”), Latin laevus, Proto-Slavic *lěvъ (“left”) (originally meaning *“askew”?), but the semantic connection is weak. Kroonen rejects this along with any relation to Ancient Greek λίαρος (líaros, “mild”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈslɑi̯.wɑz/

*slaiwaz

1. blunt; dull
2. exhausted; weary; faint; weak; sluggish
3. listless; torpid
4. dim-witted; slow
5. slack; lazy

   Synonym: *slakaz

• *slaiwijaną
• *slaiwiþō
• *slaiwōną

• Proto-West Germanic: *slaiw
  • Old English: slāw, slǣw, slēaw
    • Middle English: slaw, slow
      • English: slow
      • Geordie English: slaw
      • Scots: slaw
  • Old Frisian: *slāw, *slāu
    • Saterland Frisian: släi
    • West Frisian: sleau
  • Old Saxon: *slēw, slēu
    • Middle Low German: sleu, slē
      • Dutch Low Saxon: slee
      • Westphalian:

        Westmünsterländisch: schlee

  • Old Dutch: *slēw
    • Middle Dutch: sleew, sleeu, slee
      • Dutch: sleeuw, slee
  • Old High German: slēo
    • Middle High German: slē
      • German: schlehe, schleh; schlēch, schlö (“dull, blunt”) (dialectal)
      • Swabian: schlēw
• Old Norse: sljór, sljár, slær
  • Icelandic: sljór, sljár, slær
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: sljo, slø
  • Old Swedish: sliōr
    • Swedish: slö
  • Old Danish: sliø̄
    • Danish: sløv (influenced by sløv, from Old Norse slǿgr)
      • Norwegian Bokmål: sløv