Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/lexstus

This Proto-Celtic 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-Celtic

Etymology

Derived by Irslinger from Proto-Indo-European *h₂lék-s-tus (“protection”), from the root *h₂lek- (“to protect”).^[1]

An old etymology suggested by Stokes and followed by Pedersen derives the Celtic words from what is now reconstructed as Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill”), similar to Proto-Slavic *plodъ (“fruit”).^[2]^[3] However, the advent of laryngeal theory makes this etymology impossible, and Irslinger criticizes this derivation for having an unclear suffixation process.

Noun

*lexstus m

benefit, advantage

Inflection

Masculine/feminine u-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*lexstus	*lexstū	*lexstowes
vocative	*lexstu	*lexstū	*lexstūs
accusative	*lexstum	*lexstū	*lexstums
genitive	*lexstous	*lexstous	*lexstowom
dative	*lexstou	*lexstubom	*lexstubos
locative	*?	*?	*?
instrumental	*lexstū	*lexstubim	*lexstubis

Descendants

Proto-Brythonic: *lles
- Old Cornish: les
- Old Welsh: les
  - Middle Welsh: lles
    - Welsh: lles
Old Irish: less, les
- Irish: leas
- Manx: lhiass
- Scottish Gaelic: leas

References

^ Irslinger, Britta Sofie (2002) Abstrakta mit Dentalsuffixen im Altirischen [Abstracts with Dental Suffixes in Old Irish] (in German), Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag C. Winter, →ISBN, page 111
^ Urkeltischer Sprachschatz
^ MacBain, Alexander, Mackay, Eneas (1911) “leas”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language‎^[1], Stirling, →ISBN

[1] Irslinger, Britta Sofie (2002) Abstrakta mit Dentalsuffixen im Altirischen [Abstracts with Dental Suffixes in Old Irish] (in German), Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag C. Winter, →ISBN, page 111

[2] Urkeltischer Sprachschatz

[3] MacBain, Alexander, Mackay, Eneas (1911) “leas”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language‎^[1], Stirling, →ISBN

[1]

[2]

[3]