Reconstruction talk:Proto-Germanic/druhtinaz

Leaders or only military leaders?

I'sn't this word restricted to military leaders? 96.255.21.83 17:38, 4 October 2014 (UTC)

It was also used later on to refer to the Christian god, so I'm not sure. —CodeCat 17:55, 4 October 2014 (UTC)

You would think so, based on its etymology, but meanings shift/broaden/narrow all the time. The more general sense of lord is present in most of the descendants, so it's hard to argue that it couldn't have been present in the parent, even if only as a secondary meaning. Judging by Köbler's entry for *draúhtins here, it would seem to have been restricted as you say in Gothic, but even though Gothic is by far the earliest descendant attested by more than a fragment here or there, it's not actually Proto-Germanic itself. Chuck Entz (talk) 21:32, 4 October 2014 (UTC)