Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wintruz
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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
Unknown. Several possibilities have been proposed, although none are convincing:
- Relation to Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (“water”), whence also Proto-Germanic *watōr.
- Relation to Proto-Celtic *windos (“white”).
The first theory involves an analysis of Latin unda continuing *u-n-deh₂ rather than *ud-neh₂, while there is little semantic evidence for the second theory.
Pronunciation
Noun
*wintruz m
Inflection
Most descendants (in particular Gothic) show a u-stem paradigm:
| u-stemDeclension of *wintruz (u-stem) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| singular | plural | ||
| nominative | *wintruz | *wintriwiz | |
| vocative | *wintru | *wintriwiz | |
| accusative | *wintrų | *wintrunz | |
| genitive | *wintrauz | *wintriwǫ̂ | |
| dative | *wintriwi | *wintrumaz | |
| instrumental | *wintrū | *wintrumiz | |
However, Old Norse shows a consonant stem paradigm:
| consonant stemDeclension of *wintruz (consonant stem) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| singular | plural | ||
| nominative | *wintruz | *wintriz | |
| vocative | *wintru | *wintriz | |
| accusative | *wintrų | *wintrunz | |
| genitive | *wintriz | *wintrǫ̂ | |
| dative | *wintri | *wintrumaz | |
| instrumental | *wintrē | *wintrumiz | |
If that is indeed the original paradigm, it may have arisen as follows: The nominative and vocative singular would have come from older *wintr̥-s and *wintr̥, respectively, into which an epenthetic u had been inserted before a syllabic sonorant, as is usual in Germanic. This formed *winturz and *wintur. The -ur- was then later metathesized into a form resembling a u-stem nominative (likely based on the accusative forms).
Derived terms
Descendants
- Proto-West Germanic: *wintru
- Proto-Norse: *ᚹᛁᚾᛏᚱᚢᛉ (*wintruʀ)
- Gothic: 𐍅𐌹𐌽𐍄𐍂𐌿𐍃 (wintrus)
See also
| Seasons in Proto-Germanic · *jērastīdīz (layout · text) · category | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| *wazrą (“spring”) | *sumaraz (“summer”) | *harbistaz (“autumn”) | *wintruz (“winter”) |