Ostarrihhi

Old High German

Alternative forms

• Ōstarrīchi

Etymology

From ōstar (“eastern”) +‎ rīhhi (“realm, land”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈoːs̠.tarˌriːx.xi/

Proper noun

Ōstarrīhhi n

1. the lands of East, the Orient
2. East Francia (eastern portion of the Frankish empire after 843, reaching from the North Sea to present-day Slovenia)

Usage notes

• The second sense was later restricted to the south-eastern territories newly settled by Bavarian tribes, present-day Austria. However, such use is first attested in Middle High German.

Descendants

• Middle High German: Ōsterrīche, Œsterrīche
  • Alemannic German: Öschtrych, Eschtriich, Eschtrych
  • Bavarian: Östareich, Éstareich

    Apeltonerisch: Eestreu

  • German: Österreich
  • Luxembourgish: Éisträich
  • Rhine Franconian:

    Palatine German: Eestriasch

  • → Old French: Ostriche
    • French: Autriche
• ⇒ Latin: Austria (phono-semantic matching)

References

1. Joseph Wright, 'An Old High German Primer, Second Edition'