Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/meros

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

Possibly related to Ancient Greek μωρός (mōrós, “slow; foolish, stupid”),^[1]^[2], from a root Proto-Indo-European *merh₂- (“to delay”); a derivation from this root can be justified given the known semantic pathway of deriving words for mental disabilities from words meaning "slow" or "delayed".^[3] However, for unknown reasons, Zair is uncomfortable with relating this root to the Ancient Greek word.

Adjective

*meros

mad
crazy

Inflection

O/ā-stem
masculine	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*meros	*merou	*meroi
vocative	*mere	*merou	*meroi
accusative	*merom	*merou	*meroms
genitive	*merī	*merous	*merom
dative	*merūi	*merobom	*merobos
instrumental	*merū	*merobim	*merobis
feminine	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*merā	*merai	*merās
vocative	*merā	*merai	*merās
accusative	*meram	*merai	*merams
genitive	*merās	*merous	*merom
dative	*merai	*merābom	*merābos
instrumental	*?	*merābim	*merābis
neuter	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*merom	*merou	*merā
vocative	*merom	*merou	*merā
accusative	*merom	*merou	*merā
genitive	*merī	*merous	*merom
dative	*merūi	*merobom	*merobos
instrumental	*merū	*merobim	*merobis

Declension of the comparative
masculine	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*meryūs	*?	*meryoses
vocative	*meryūs	*?	*meryoses
accusative	*meryosam	*?	*meryosams
genitive	*merisos	*?	*merisom
dative	*merisei	*?	*merisbos
instrumental	*merisī	*?	*merisbis
feminine	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*meryūs	*?	*meryoses
vocative	*meryūs	*?	*meryoses
accusative	*meryosam	*?	*meryosams
genitive	*merisos	*?	*merisom
dative	*merisei	*?	*merisbos
instrumental	*merisī	*?	*merisbis
neuter	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*meris	*?	*?
vocative	*meris	*?	*?
accusative	*meris	*?	*?
genitive	*merisos	*?	*merisom
dative	*merisei	*?	*merisbos
instrumental	*merisī	*?	*merisbis

Descendants

Brittonic:
- ⇒ Middle Welsh: meredig (suffixed with -edig)
Middle Irish: mer
- Irish: mear
Gaulish: *meros
- →⇒ Latin: Atimeria
- →⇒ Latin: Calemerus
- →⇒ Latin: Dumerius
- →⇒ Latin: Esmerius
- →⇒ Latin: Mereus
- →⇒ Latin: Merobaudes
- →⇒ Latin: Merocles
- →⇒ Latin: Mereus
- →⇒ Latin: Merogaisus
- →⇒ Latin: Mereus

References

^ Matasović, Ranko (2009) “*mero-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 267
^ Delamarre, Xavier (2003) “mero-”, in Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental [Dictionary of the Gaulish language: A linguistic approach to Old Continental Celtic] (Collection des Hespérides; 9), 2nd edition, Éditions Errance, →ISBN, page 225
^ Zair, Nicholas (2012) The reflexes of the Proto-Indo-European laryngeals in Celtic, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 136

[1] Matasović, Ranko (2009) “*mero-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 267

[2] Delamarre, Xavier (2003) “mero-”, in Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental [Dictionary of the Gaulish language: A linguistic approach to Old Continental Celtic] (Collection des Hespérides; 9), 2nd edition, Éditions Errance, →ISBN, page 225

[3] Zair, Nicholas (2012) The reflexes of the Proto-Indo-European laryngeals in Celtic, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 136

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