Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/wolkos

This Proto-Celtic 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-Celtic

Etymology 1

Uncertain. Possibly related to *ulkos (bad, evil), hinted by early Celtic farmers' hostility towards birds of prey. If so, cognate with Old Irish olc.[1] However, this is uncertain.[2] Alternatively perhaps related to Latin falcō (falcon).

Noun

*wolkos m[3]

  1. hawk
Inflection
Masculine o-stem
singular dual plural
nominative *wolkos *wolkou *wolkoi
vocative *wolke *wolkou *wolkoi
accusative *wolkom *wolkou *wolkons
genitive *wolkī *wolkous *wolkom
dative *wolkūi *wolkobom *wolkobos
locative *wolkei *? *?
instrumental *wolkū *wolkobim *wolkūis
Descendants
  • Brythonic: *gwalx
    • Breton: gwalc'h
    • Welsh: gwalch
  • Gaulish: *wolkās, *Wolkās
  • Middle English: wolk, wolc (manuscript form)
  • ? Old Norse: valr (falcon)

Etymology 2

    From Proto-Indo-European *wólkos, an o-grade *-os noun formed from a root *welk-.

    Matasović derives *welk- from Proto-Indo-European *welg- (wet). A root noun ending in *-g-s (Matasović supposes *wṓlg-s ~ *wolg-os) would have the velar devoice to *-k-, which would then spawn a neo-root as the nominative -k- would be generalized throughout the root noun's paradigm.[4]

    Noun

    *wolkos m

    1. rain, shower
    2. wet weather
    Inflection
    Masculine o-stem
    singular dual plural
    nominative *wolkos *wolkou *wolkoi
    vocative *wolke *wolkou *wolkoi
    accusative *wolkom *wolkou *wolkons
    genitive *wolkī *wolkous *wolkom
    dative *wolkūi *wolkobom *wolkobos
    locative *wolkei *? *?
    instrumental *wolkū *wolkobim *wolkūis
    Derived terms
    Descendants
    • Proto-Brythonic: *gwolx
      • Breton: gwalc'h, golc'h
      • Welsh: golch (washing, lotion)
    • Middle Irish: folc

    References

    1. ^ Hall, James (1989): Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies, Issues 17–20, p. 66
    2. ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009), “*ulkʷo-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 400
    3. ^ Proto-Celtic ― English Wordlist, p.95
    4. ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009), “*wolko-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 427