Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/spēnuz
Proto-Germanic
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editUncertain. Traditionally compared with Ancient Greek σφήν (sphḗn, “wedge”) and Sanskrit स्फ्य (sphyá, “flat piece of wood used as a ritual sword”), for a tentative Proto-Indo-European *(s)peH- (“to cut off; chip, shaving, log, length of wood”).[1] However, this connection is phonologically impossible,[2] and all of the supposed cognates are themselves of disputed origin.
Pronunciation
editNoun
edit*spēnuz m[1]
Inflection
editu-stemDeclension of *spēnuz (u-stem) | |||
---|---|---|---|
singular | plural | ||
nominative | *spēnuz | *spēniwiz | |
vocative | *spēnu | *spēniwiz | |
accusative | *spēnų | *spēnunz | |
genitive | *spēnauz | *spēniwǫ̂ | |
dative | *spēniwi | *spēnumaz | |
instrumental | *spēnū | *spēnumiz |
Derived terms
edit- *sagōspēnuz (“sawdust”)
Descendants
edit- Proto-West Germanic: *spānu
- Old Norse: spánn, spónn
- →? Proto-Finnic: *pëëna (“cleat”)
- Finnish: piena
References
edit- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Orel, Vladimir (2003) “*spēnuz ~ *spōnuz”, in A Handbook of Germanic Etymology[1], Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, pages 364–365
- ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “σφήν, σφηνός”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1430