Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/dáḱru

This Proto-Indo-European 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-Indo-European

Alternative forms

*dr̥ḱ-h₂éḱru, *dr̥ḱ-h₂éḱ-wr̥^?
*dr̥h₂éḱru, *dr̥h₂éḱwr̥^?
*dráḱru, *dráḱwr̥^?, dráḱr̥^?
*dáḱr-o-m (Celto-Germanic)

Etymology

Linked to *h₂éḱru in some way, but the derivation is unclear. One possibility is that it is a contraction from earlier *dh₂éḱru, from the compound *dr̥ḱ-h₂éḱru (“eye-bitter”).^[1] This hypothesis explains the Old Armenian reflexes and Proto-Germanic *trahnuz well, but creates other questions. Even aside from the lack of known phonological parallels to such a contraction, it is unclear why the root *derḱ- was used rather than the main word for “eye” in Proto-Indo-European, *h₃ókʷs, though C.J. Ruijgh suggests that the semantic distinction was a meaning “fixed eye” for the former.

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

*dáḱru n^[2]

tear (in the eyes)

Inflection

Athematic, proterokinetic
	singular
nominative	*dáḱru
genitive	*dḱréws
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*dáḱru	*dáḱr̥wih₁	*dáḱruh₂
vocative	*dáḱru	*dáḱr̥wih₁	*dáḱruh₂
accusative	*dáḱru	*dáḱr̥wih₁	*dáḱruh₂
genitive	*dḱréws	*?	*dḱréwoHom
ablative	*dḱréws	*?	*dḱrúmos
dative	*dḱréwey	*?	*dḱrúmos
locative	dḱréw, dḱréwi	*?	*dḱrúsu
instrumental	*dḱrúh₁	*?	*dḱrúmis

Reconstruction notes

The Germanic n-stems can be interpreted as evidence of an original heteroclitic declension; see more at *h₂éḱru.

Synonyms

*h₂éḱru

Descendants

Proto-Armenian:
- Old Armenian: արտաւսր (artawsr, “tear”) (< *draḱru-)
- Old Armenian: արտասուք (artasukʻ, “tears”) (< *draḱu-)
  - Armenian: արտասուք (artasukʻ), արցունք (arcʻunkʻ)
Proto-Celtic: *dakrom (< *dáḱr-o-m)
- Proto-Brythonic: *dagr
  - Cornish: dagr
- Old Irish: dér, dǽr
  - Middle Irish: dér f
    - Irish: deoir
    - Scottish Gaelic: deur
    - Manx: jeir
Proto-Celtic: *dakrū (plural or collective) < *dáḱruh₂ pl
- Proto-Brythonic: *dėgr
  - Middle Welsh: deigyr
    - Welsh: deigr (archaic)
      - ⇒ Welsh: deigryn
Proto-Germanic: *tahrą (< *dáḱr-o-m) (see there for further descendants)
Proto-Germanic: *trahnuz (< *dráḱ-nu-s)
Proto-Hellenic:
- Ancient Greek: δάκρυ (dákru), δάκρυον (dákruon)
  - Greek: δάκρυ (dákry)
  - → English: dacryo-
⇒ Proto-Italic: (+ *-meh₂)
- Old Latin: dacruma, dacrima
  - Latin: lacruma, lacrima (see there for further descendants)

References

^ Kortlandt, Frederik (1985) “Arm. artawsr ‘tear’”, in Annual of Armenian Linguistics, volume 6, Cleveland: Cleveland State University, section 7, page 60 of 59–61
^ Ringe, Donald (2006) From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic (A Linguistic History of English; 1)‎, Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN

[1] Kortlandt, Frederik (1985) “Arm. artawsr ‘tear’”, in Annual of Armenian Linguistics, volume 6, Cleveland: Cleveland State University, section 7, page 60 of 59–61

[2] Ringe, Donald (2006) From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic (A Linguistic History of English; 1)‎, Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN

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