Reconstruction:Proto-Brythonic/ster

This Proto-Brythonic 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-Brythonic

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *sterās, plural of *sterā, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr. The Proto-Celtic nominative singular and plural would have become homophones in Proto-Brythonic, and in this case the plural was generalized.

Noun

*ster f pl (singulative *sterenn)

1. stars

Descendants

• Old Breton: *ster
  • Middle Breton: ster
    • Breton: ster
• Old Cornish: *ster
  • Middle Cornish: ster, steyr
    • Cornish: ster
• Old Welsh: *ser
  • Middle Welsh: ser, syr
    • Welsh: sêr

Reconstruction notes

For the three Old Brythonic languages the reflexes of *ster are not directly attested, but these can easily be inferred from the the attested singulatives; Old Breton sterenn, Old Cornish steren, Old Welsh serenn.

References

R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “sêr”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies