Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/librō
 |
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]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Disputed:
- Sometimes considered an irregular corruption of the Proto-Indo-European word for “liver”, approximately *(H)yékʷ-r̥ (of which there are varying interpretations; see there for details).[2] Compare especially Old Armenian լեարդ (leard, “liver”) and Old Prussian lagno, which similarly appear to have sporadic initial l, though in the latter case it may be a scribal error for *jagno. A parallel thematicization to *ikʷ-r-éh₂ would be seen in Proto-Balto-Slavic *ikrā́ˀ (“fish egg, roe; calf”).
However, this is difficult on phonetic grounds, especially as the source of the presumed un-etymological *l- is not explained. An alternative reconstruction *l̥yékʷr̥ has been proposed but not met with wide acceptance. (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?) - Likely from a different r/n-stem *léypr̥ or r-stem *léypōr (“sticky/fatty one ?”) which thematicized in pre-Germanic to *lip-r-éh₂ (and perhaps in Hellenic to *lipər-os, whence Ancient Greek λῐπᾰρός (lĭpărós, “fatty, greasy, oily, shiny”)[1]), from the root *leyp- (“to smudge, stick; sticky or slippery substance”) (itself possibly an extension of earlier *(s)ley- (“to be slimy, be sticky, glide”)). Compare Sanskrit रिप्र (riprá, “dirt, impurity”), Proto-Germanic *lībą (“body; life”).
- Despite attempts to connect Hittite 𒇷𒂊𒅆 (le-e-ši /leš(š)i ~ liš(š)i/, “liver”) for a different reconstruction entirely,[3] these have been unconvincing.[4]
Kroonen notes the unusual umlaut of Old Swedish lyr and Elfdalian lyr, which could be from an old locative *libureni.[2]
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]Inflection
[edit]| ō-stemDeclension of *librō (ō-stem) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| singular | plural | ||
| nominative | *librō | *librôz | |
| vocative | *librō | *librôz | |
| accusative | *librǭ | *librōz | |
| genitive | *librōz | *librǫ̂ | |
| dative | *librōi | *librōmaz | |
| instrumental | *librō | *librōmiz | |
Related terms
[edit]Descendants
[edit]- Proto-West Germanic: *libru
- Old Norse: lifr
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Vladimir Orel (2003) “*liƀ(a)rō”, in A Handbook of Germanic Etymology[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 245
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Guus Kroonen (2013) “*librō-”, in Alexander Lubotsky, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)[2], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 336
- ^ Tischler, Johann (1977–2016) Hethitisches etymologisches Glossar (Innsbrucker Beiträge zur Sprachwissenschaft; 20) (in German), volumes L–M, Innsbruck: Institut für Sprachwissenschaft der Universität Innsbruck, pages 54–5
- ^ Kloekhorst, Alwin (2008) “leš(š)i-, lišši-”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Hittite Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 5), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 525