Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/tou(x)sman

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

This word is a *-sman noun, but its origin is disputed. There are two basic possible etymologies:

If one reconstructs *touxsman, Greene connects this word with Old Irish túag (“arch”). It may be further connected with *exsstungeti (“to bend”),^[1] from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewg-,^[2] although Stüber denies a connection to this root.^[3]
If one instead opts for *tousman, a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *tewh₂- (“to swell”) becomes possible.^[3] Zair questions this etymology on semantic grounds, preferring Greene's etymology.^[4]

Noun

*tou(x)sman n

bend, curve

Inflection

Neuter n-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*tou(x)sman	*tou(x)smane?	*tou(x)smana
vocative	*tou(x)sman	*tou(x)smane?	*tou(x)smana
accusative	*tou(x)sman	*tou(x)smane?	*tou(x)smana
genitive	*tou(x)smens	*tou(x)smenous?	*tou(x)smenom
dative	*tou(x)smenei	*tou(x)smembom	*tou(x)smembos
locative	*tou(x)smen(i)	*?	*?
instrumental	*tou(x)smenei	*tou(x)smembim	*tou(x)smembis

Derived terms

*exs-tou(x)sman
- Proto-Brythonic:
  - Old Breton: *stum, ⇒ Stumou (a place name)
    - Breton: stumm (“form”)
  - Middle Welsh: ystum
    - Welsh: ystum (“gesture, curve, form”)
  - → Irish: stuaim (“skill”)

Descendants

Middle Irish: túaim
- Irish: tuaim (“tumulus”)

References

^ Schrijver, Peter C. H. (1995) Studies in British Celtic historical phonology (Leiden studies in Indo-European; 5), Amsterdam, Atlanta: Rodopi, page 419
^ Matasović, Ranko (2009) “*(s)towxsman-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, pages 356–357
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Stüber, Karin (1998) The Historical Morphology of n-Stems in Celtic (Maynooth studies in Celtic linguistics; III), Department of Old Irish, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, →ISBN, pages 68-69
^ Zair, Nicholas (2012) The reflexes of the Proto-Indo-European laryngeals in Celtic, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 235

[1] Schrijver, Peter C. H. (1995) Studies in British Celtic historical phonology (Leiden studies in Indo-European; 5), Amsterdam, Atlanta: Rodopi, page 419

[2] Matasović, Ranko (2009) “*(s)towxsman-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, pages 356–357

[Stuber-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Stüber, Karin (1998) The Historical Morphology of n-Stems in Celtic (Maynooth studies in Celtic linguistics; III), Department of Old Irish, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, →ISBN, pages 68-69

[4] Zair, Nicholas (2012) The reflexes of the Proto-Indo-European laryngeals in Celtic, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 235

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