Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/skelfō

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

Alternative reconstructions

• *skelbō, *skelbǭ

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *(s)kel(H)-p-, from *(s)kelH- (“to cut, split, divide”). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?) Orel connects the word to *skelbaną (“to shiver, tremble”), though this is semantically dubious.

Noun

*skelfō f

1. crag, cliff
2. flat surface (e.g. floor, deck, shelf, ledge, etc.)

Inflection

ō-stemDeclension of *skelfō (ō-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*skelfō	*skelfôz
vocative	*skelfō	*skelfôz
accusative	*skelfǭ	*skelfōz
genitive	*skelfōz	*skelfǫ̂
dative	*skelfōi	*skelfōmaz
instrumental	*skelfō	*skelfōmiz

Related terms

• *halbaz

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *skelfu f, *skelf m
  • Old English: sċielf m
  • Old Frisian: *skelfe f, *skelf m
    • West Frisian: skelf m or f
  • Old Saxon: *skelfa f, *skelf m or n
    • Middle Low German: schelf n
      • German Low German: Schelf f
  • Old Dutch: *skelfa f, *skelf m
    • Middle Dutch: scelf, scelve m or f
      • Dutch: schelf f
  • ⇒ Proto-West Germanic: *skilfijā
    • Old English: sċielfe, sċylfe, sċilfe
      • Middle English: schelfe, shelf
        • English: shelf
        • Scots: schelf, shelf, skelf (skelf through confluence with Old Norse skjalf)
• Old Norse: *skjǫlf, *skjálf
  • Icelandic: skjölf (“craggy ledge”)
  • Norwegian: (in placenames) skjalf, skjelv, skjev
  • Swedish: (in placenames) skälv, skölv, skjalf, skälf, skiälf
  • ⇒ Old Norse: Hliðskjǫlf