Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wai

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wai. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wai, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wai in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wai you have here. The definition of the word Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wai will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofReconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wai, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
 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

From Proto-Indo-European *wáy. Compare Latin vae, Lithuanian vaĩ, vái, Russian увы́ (uvý, “alas”), Middle Irish fáe, Welsh gwae (“woe”), Avestan 𐬬𐬀𐬫𐬋𐬌 (vayōi), Sanskrit उवे (uvé), Persian وای (vây).

Pronunciation

Interjection

*wai

  1. woe! alas! (expression of grief or anguish)

Descendants

Note: In most descendant languages this interjection becomes additionally used as a noun with the meaning “hurt, anguish”.

References

  • Martin Findell Phonological Evidence from the Continental Runic Inscriptions (2012), citing Schneider (1980) (reconstructs *wai and notes the Gothic, ON, OE, OS and OHG descendants)
Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia