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).^[1]

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

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”).^[2]

Noun

*werką n^[2]

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)

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Kroonen, Guus (2013) “*werka- 1”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎^[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 580
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Kroonen, Guus (2013) “*werka- 2”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎^[2], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 580

[EDPG1-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Kroonen, Guus (2013) “*werka- 1”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎^[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 580

[EDPG2-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Kroonen, Guus (2013) “*werka- 2”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎^[2], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 580

[1]

[2]