Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/alasnu

This Proto-West 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-West Germanic

Alternative forms

• *alisnu

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *alasnō (“awl”). Equivalent to *al (“awl”) +‎ *-snu.

Noun

*alasnu f

1. awl

   Synonyms: *al, *ālu

Declension

ō-stem
	Singular
Nominative	*alasnu
Genitive	*alasnā
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	*alasnu	*alasnō
Accusative	*alasnā	*alasnā
Genitive	*alasnā	*alasnō
Dative	*alasnē	*alasnōm, *alasnum
Instrumental	*alasnu	*alasnōm, *alasnum

Descendants

• Old Saxon: *alansa
  • Middle Low German: alse, elase, elasene
• Old Dutch: *alsina
  • Middle Dutch: elsne, elsene, elsen, alsene
    • Dutch: els, (dialectal) elase
    • → Middle English: elsen, elsyn, elson, alsene
      • English: elsin, elsen (dialectal, UK)
      • Scots: elsin, elsing, elson
• Old High German: alansa, alesna
  • Middle High German: *alesne, *elnse
    • German: Alesne, Alse, Else (dialectal, Swiss German)
• → Vulgar Latin: *alisna, *lexina (see there for further descendants)