Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/hwō

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

Alternative forms

*hwē, *hwī

Etymology

From a form of Proto-Indo-European *kʷos, *kʷís. Compare Latin quō (“where(to); why; so that”) (Proto-Italic *kʷō) and Ancient Greek πω (pō, “ever”), Ionic Greek κω (kō) (Proto-Hellenic *kʷō). Equivalent to *hwaz (“what”) +‎ *-ō (instrumental ending).

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /xʷɔː/

Pronoun

*hwō

how, with what, by what means; instrumental of *hwaz

Descendants

Proto-West Germanic: *hwō
- Old English: hū, hwu
  - Middle English: how, hou, howe, hu, hwu, whu, wou, wu
    - English: how
    - Geordie English: hoo
    - Scots: hoo, how, foo
    - Yola: fowe, how
- Old Frisian: hū, hō
  - North Frisian: ho
  - Saterland Frisian: wo
  - West Frisian: hoe > hoe't
- Old Saxon: hwō, hwuo, hū
  - Middle Low German: wô, wû
    - Low German: wo
- Old Dutch: huo
  - Middle Dutch: hoe
    - Dutch: hoe
    - Limburgish: woe
- Old High German: wuo (Franconian)
  - German: wu (dialectal, obsolete)

References

Ringe, Donald, Taylor, Ann (2014) The Development of Old English (A Linguistic History of English; 2), Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 166