Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-u

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

Etymology

Possibly from Pre-Germanic *-we, from Proto-Indo-European *-we, which would make it cognate to Latin -ve, Ancient Greek ἤ (ḗ), Tocharian B wa and Sanskrit वा (vā).

Alternatively, from *h₂u, whence possibly also Ancient Greek αὖ (aû) and Sanskrit उ (u, “and”).[1]

Pronunciation

Particle

*-u(East Germanic)

  1. Added to the end of a word in a phrase (usually the first word) to make it a question.

Usage notes

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.

Descendants

  • Gothic: -𐌿 (-u)

References

  1. ^ Dunkel, George E. (2014) Lexikon der indogermanischen Partikeln und Pronominalstämme [Lexicon of Indo-European Particles and Pronominal Stems] (in German), volume 2: Lexikon, Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter, →ISBN, page 336
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