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. However, this is uncertain. Alternatively perhaps related to Latin falcō (“falcon”).

Noun

*wolkos m

1. hawk

Inflection

Masculine o-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*wolkos	*wolkou	*wolkoi
vocative	*wolke	*wolkou	*wolkoi
accusative	*wolkom	*wolkou	*wolkoms
genitive	*wolkī	*wolkous	*wolkom
dative	*wolkūi	*wolkobom	*wolkobos
locative	*wolkei	*?	*?
instrumental	*wolkū	*wolkobim	*wolkūis

Descendants

• Brythonic: *gwalx
  • Breton: gwalc’h
  • Welsh: gwalch
• Gaulish: *Wolcās
  • Latin: Volcae
• →? 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.

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	*wolkoms
genitive	*wolkī	*wolkous	*wolkom
dative	*wolkūi	*wolkobom	*wolkobos
locative	*wolkei	*?	*?
instrumental	*wolkū	*wolkobim	*wolkūis

Derived terms

• *wolkīti

Descendants

• Proto-Brythonic: *gwolx
  • Breton: gwalc'h, golc'h
  • Welsh: golch (“washing, lotion”)
• Middle Irish: folc
  • Irish: folc