Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/werką

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwer.kɑ̃/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom (“work”), from Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- (“to make, work”) (whence *wurkijaną). Cognate with Ancient Greek ἔργον (érgon).

Noun

*werką n

1. work

Inflection

Declension of *werką (neuter a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	*werką	*werkō
vocative	*werką	*werkō
accusative	*werką	*werkō
genitive	*werkas, *wirkis	*werkǫ̂
dative	*werkai	*werkamaz
instrumental	*werkō	*werkamiz

Derived terms

• *dagawerką
• *handuwerką
• *werkadagaz
• *werkōną
• *wirkijaną

Related terms

• *wurkijaną

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *werk
  • Old English: weorc, worc
    • Middle English: werk, work
      • Scots: wark
      • English: work, werk
  • Old Frisian: werk, wirk
    • Saterland Frisian: Wierk
    • West Frisian: wurk
  • Old Saxon: werk
    • Middle Low German: wark, werk
      • Low German: Wark, Werk
  • Old Dutch: werk, werc
    • Middle Dutch: werc, warc, werk, wark
      • Dutch: werk
        • Afrikaans: werk
  • Old High German: werk, werc, werch, werh, werah
    • Middle High German: wërc
      • German: Werk
      • Luxembourgish: Wierk
• Old Norse: verk
  • Icelandic: verk
  • Faroese: verk
  • Norwegian Bokmål: verk
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: verk
  • Old Swedish: værk
    • Swedish: verk
  • Old Danish: værk
    • Danish: værk
  • Old Gutnish: werk

Etymology 2

Uncertain. Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *werǵʰ-nó- (> pre-Germanic *werkka-), from *werǵʰ- (“to bind, squeeze”), whence also *wurgijaną (“to strangle”). Alternatively, from Proto-Indo-European *wer(k/ḱ)-nó-, from a root *wer(k/ḱ), and cognate with Welsh cywarch (“hemp, rope”).

Noun

*werką n

1. rope or cord, especially one made of hemp

Inflection

Declension of *werką (neuter a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	*werką	*werkō
vocative	*werką	*werkō
accusative	*werką	*werkō
genitive	*werkas, *wirkis	*werkǫ̂
dative	*werkai	*werkamaz
instrumental	*werkō	*werkamiz

Related terms

• *werganą (possibly)
• *wirkiją
  • Proto-West Germanic: *wirkī
    • Old Saxon: *wirki
      • Middle Low German: werke
    • Old Dutch: *wirki
      • Middle Dutch: wercke
    • ⇒ Old High German: āwirki
      • Middle High German: *āwirche
        • Swabian: Äwerg
• *wurgijaną (possibly)
• *wurkiją

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *werk
  • Old Frisian: *werk, *wirk
    • Saterland Frisian: Wäierk, Wíerk
    • West Frisian: wurk
  • Old Saxon: *werk
    • Middle Low German: werk, wark
      • → Danish: værk
      • → Norwegian: verk (archaic)
  • Old Dutch: *werk
    • Middle Dutch: werc
      • Dutch: werk
      • → French: warq (dialectal)
  • Old High German: werh, werah, werc, werk
    • Middle High German: werc, werch, werich
      • German: Werg
• → Proto-Finnic: *vërka (see there for further descendants)