Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-u
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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
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Possibly from Pre-Germanic *-we, from Proto-Indo-European *-wē, which would make it cognate to Latin -ve, Ancient Greek ἤ (ḗ), Tocharian B wa and Sanskrit वा (vā).
Pronunciation
[edit]Particle
[edit]*-u(East Germanic)
- Added to the end of a word in a phrase (usually the first word) to make it a question.
Usage notes
[edit]This suffix was used when asking yes/no questions or, based on Gothic usage, to present a binary choice between two options. It was attached to the first word in a clause. If the first word was a compound or had a prefix, this suffix was infixed after the first part of a compound or after the prefix, effectively splitting the word in two.