Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/labōn
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This Proto-West 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-West Germanic edit
Etymology edit
Of uncertain and disputed origin.
Possibly from Latin lavō (“to wash, bathe”),[1] though Latin v usually becomes f or w in West Germanic (e.g. *lafendulā, *pulwī, *wall), not b; also, the early West Germanic meanings are difficult to explain, as they do not convey the meaning of "wash" or "bathe". Old High German labōn exclusively means "to refresh, revitalize, invigorate, strengthen, provide sustenance". Not until Middle High German did laben additionally come to mean "wash, bathe with water" (in addition to the existing senses). Likewise, the earliest Old English meaning was "to pour", not "wash, bathe with water". Old Saxon lavōn only means "refresh", and Middle Low German lāven means "refresh, revitalise, provide with food and drink" and never "wash, bathe with water". Indeed, Low German laven today still signifies "refresh/replenish (oneself), feast". Middle and Modern Dutch also mean "refresh, slake one's thirst", not "wash". Only through sound-alike influence from Latin lavō and Old French laver does Middle and Modern English acquire the meaning "wash" or "bathe" (in addition to earlier senses).
Alternatively, perhaps related to Ancient Greek λωφάω (lōpháō, “to recover, rest”), itself of unknown origin.[2]
Verb edit
*labōn[1]
- (transitive) to strengthen
- (transitive) to refresh or revitalise with food, drink, warmth, etc.
Inflection edit
| Class 2 weak | ||
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive | *labōn | |
| 1st sg. past | *labōdā | |
| Infinitive | *labōn | |
| Genitive infin. | *labōnijas | |
| Dative infin. | *labōnijē | |
| Instrum. infin. | *labōniju | |
| Indicative | Present | Past |
| 1st singular | *labō | *labōdā |
| 2nd singular | *labōs | *labōdēs, *labōdōs |
| 3rd singular | *labōþ | *labōdē, *labōdā |
| 1st plural | *labōm | *labōdum |
| 2nd plural | *labōþ | *labōdud |
| 3rd plural | *labōnþ | *labōdun |
| Subjunctive | Present | Past |
| 1st singular | *labō | *labōdī |
| 2nd singular | *labōs | *labōdī |
| 3rd singular | *labō | *labōdī |
| 1st plural | *labōm | *labōdīm |
| 2nd plural | *labōþ | *labōdīd |
| 3rd plural | *labōn | *labōdīn |
| Imperative | Present | |
| Singular | *labō | |
| Plural | *labōþ | |
| Present | Past | |
| Participle | *labōndī | *labōd |
Related terms edit
Derived terms edit
- *andalabōn
- *bilabōn
- Old High German: bilabōn
- *galabōn
- *uʀlabōn
Descendants edit
References edit
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Friedrich Kluge (1989) “laben”, in Elmar Seebold, editor, Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache [Etymological Dictionary of the German Language] (in German), 22nd edition, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 423: “wg. *lab-ō- swV. ‘erfrischen, waschen’”
- ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “885”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page λωφάω