Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/swinþaz

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

Uncertain; suggested to derive from Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- (“to overpower”),^[1] whence also *segaz (“victory”), perhaps either:

directly inherited from Proto-Indo-European *sǵʰ-wént-s ~ *sǵʰ-unt-és, whence also variant *sundaz, from *seǵʰ- +‎ *-wénts;
or derived from unattested noun *swin- (“strength, power”) +‎ *-þaz, from Proto-Indo-European *séǵʰ-wr̥ ~ *sǵʰ-wén-s (“overpowering; holding”), cognate with Ancient Greek σθένος (sthénos, “strength, power”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈswin.θɑz/

Adjective

*swinþaz

strong
swift, fleet

Inflection

Declension of *swinþaz (a-stem)
Strong declension
	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*swinþaz	*swinþō	*swinþą, -atō	*swinþai	*swinþôz	*swinþō
accusative	*swinþanǭ	*swinþǭ	*swinþą, -atō	*swinþanz	*swinþōz	*swinþō
genitive	*swinþas, -is	*swinþaizōz	*swinþas, -is	*swinþaizǫ̂	*swinþaizǫ̂	*swinþaizǫ̂
dative	*swinþammai	*swinþaizōi	*swinþammai	*swinþaimaz	*swinþaimaz	*swinþaimaz
instrumental	*swinþanō	*swinþaizō	*swinþanō	*swinþaimiz	*swinþaimiz	*swinþaimiz

Weak declension
	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*swinþô	*swinþǭ	*swinþô	*swinþaniz	*swinþōniz	*swinþōnō
accusative	*swinþanų	*swinþōnų	*swinþô	*swinþanunz	*swinþōnunz	*swinþōnō
genitive	*swinþiniz	*swinþōniz	*swinþiniz	*swinþanǫ̂	*swinþōnǫ̂	*swinþanǫ̂
dative	*swinþini	*swinþōni	*swinþini	*swinþammaz	*swinþōmaz	*swinþammaz
instrumental	*swinþinē	*swinþōnē	*swinþinē	*swinþammiz	*swinþōmiz	*swinþammiz

Related terms

*sundaz

Derived terms

*swinþalīkaz
*swinþį̄
*swinþijaną

Descendants

Proto-West Germanic: *swinþ
- Old English: swīþ
  - Middle English: swith
    - English: swith
    - Scots: swith
- Old Frisian: *swīth
  - Saterland Frisian: swied
  - West Frisian: swiid
- Old Saxon: swīth, *swinth
  - Middle Low German: swît, swîde, swinde
    - Low German: swied, swinn
    - Plautdietsch: schwind
    - → Polish: szwytki, świtki (“agile, quick, dashing”) (dialectal)
      - → Old Ruthenian: швыдкїй (švydkij) (dialectal) (see there for further descendants)
- Old Dutch: *swīth, *swinth (in placenames)
  - Middle Dutch: swîde, swinde
    - Dutch: zwind, zwinde, swiet, zwiej (dialectal)
- Old High German: *swind (in personal names)
  - Middle High German: swinde, swint
    - ⇒ Middle High German: geswinde
      - Bavarian: gschwind
      - German: geschwind
        → Dutch: gezwind
      - Luxembourgish: geschwënn
Old Norse: sviðr, svinnr
- Icelandic: svinnur
- Faroese: svinnur
Gothic: 𐍃𐍅𐌹𐌽𐌸𐍃 (swinþs)

References

^ Heidermanns, Frank (1993) Etymologisches Wörterbuch der germanischen Primäradjektive (Studia linguistica Germanica; 33) (in German), Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN, pages 577-578

[1] Heidermanns, Frank (1993) Etymologisches Wörterbuch der germanischen Primäradjektive (Studia linguistica Germanica; 33) (in German), Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter, →ISBN, pages 577-578

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