Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/kweþuz

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

Of disputed origin.

Orel, reconstructing the Germanic as *kwiþuz, prefers to derive the term from Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃-tu-s (and thus formally identical to Proto-Celtic *bitus (“world”)), from *gʷeyh₃- (“to live”), with a similar semantic shift "life" > "belly" as seen in Proto-Slavic *živòtъ (“life; belly”).[1]

Kroonen is skeptical of the putative semantic shift required, and leaves the origin open.[2]

Older theories deriving the word from a Proto-Indo-European *gʷet-, *gūt- (“swelling, rounding; stomach, gut”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷu-, *gū- (“to bend, curve, bow, camber, vault, distend”), appear formally unconvincing. (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

Noun

*kweþuz m[2]

  1. belly, stomach
    Synonyms: *wambō, *ambô, *magô, *balgiz
  2. womb
    Synonyms: *wambō, *kilþį̄

Inflection

Declension of *kweþuz (u-stem)
singular plural
nominative *kweþuz *kwiþiwiz
vocative *kweþu *kwiþiwiz
accusative *kweþų *kweþunz
genitive *kweþauz *kwiþiwǫ̂
dative *kwiþiwi *kweþumaz
instrumental *kweþū *kweþumiz

Descendants

  • Old English: cwiþ, cwiþa; (cwedele)
    • Middle English: *kid, *kit (in compound: kidenere, kidnere)
  • Old Saxon: *kweth
  • Old High German: quiti (quoden?)
    • ⇒ Old High German: chwadilla, kwedilla, quedilla
  • Old Norse: kviðr
  • Gothic: 𐌵𐌹𐌸𐌿𐍃 (qiþus)

References

  1. ^ Vladimir Orel (2003), “*kwiþuz ~ *kwiþaz”, in A Handbook of Germanic Etymology‎[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 230
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kroonen, Guus (2013), “*kweþu-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎[2], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 319
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