Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/efþau

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

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Ultimately thought to be a Germanic suffixed dual form of the base of if. See also Proto-Germanic *ehþau for an alternative reconstruction.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈeɸ.θɑu̯/

Conjunction

*efþau

or

Alternative reconstructions

*eþþau^[1]

Descendants

Old English: oþþe, oððe, oðþe, oþðe, eþþa, ofþe, oþþon, oþþa — Mercian
- Middle English: oththe, other, or
  - English: or
  - Scots: or
Old Frisian: ieftha, ioftha, ofte, jova, jof, jef, of
- Saterland Frisian: af, of
- West Frisian: of
Old Saxon: eftha, eftho, efdo, ettho
- Middle Low German: efte, afte, ufte, uft, uf
  - German Low German: of (Westmünsterlandisch)
    - Sauerland Low German: of, o'
- Middle Low German: edder, odder
Old Dutch: *oftho, *ofto
- Middle Dutch: ofte, ochte
  - Dutch: ofte, of
    - Afrikaans: ofte, of
Old High German: odo
- Middle High German: od, ode
- ⇒ Old High German: odar, odor (in analogy with abur (“but”), wedar (“which”))
  - Middle High German: oder
    - Cimbrian: òdar, odar (Luserna)
    - German: oder
    - Luxembourgish: oder
    - Yiddish: אָדער (oder)
Old Norse: eða, eðr
- Icelandic: eða, eður
- Old Danish: æthæ, eth
- Old Gutnish: eþa
Gothic: 𐌰𐌹𐌸𐌸𐌰𐌿 (aiþþau)

References

^ Vladimir Orel (2003) A Handbook of Germanic Etymology‎^[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 86

[1] Vladimir Orel (2003) A Handbook of Germanic Etymology‎^[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 86

[1]