Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/barō

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

Unknown. Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“to strike; pierce”). Compare Latin forus (“gangway, plank”), Russian забо́р (zabór, “fencing, paling, fence”). Compare also Ancient Greek φάρος (pháros, “piece of land, furrow, marker, beacon, lighthouse”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɑ.rɔː/

Noun

*barō f

1. beam, bar, rail
2. barricade, barrier
3. paling, fencing

Inflection

ō-stemDeclension of *barō (ō-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*barō	*barôz
vocative	*barō	*barôz
accusative	*barǭ	*barōz
genitive	*barōz	*barǫ̂
dative	*barōi	*barōmaz
instrumental	*barō	*barōmiz

Related terms

• *barjaną

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *baru
  • Old Frisian: bēr (“threat, attack”) (possibly deverbal from Proto-West Germanic *barjan)
  • Old High German: bara (“fenced plot of land, enclosure, district”)
  • →? Vulgar Latin: *barra (with sporadic geminate r; unless from Gaulish) (see there for further descendants)
• ⇒ Old Norse: berlingr (“short bar”, diminutive)
  • Icelandic: berlingur
  • Norwegian: berling
  • Swedish: bärling
  • → Middle English: berling, barling, birling
    • English: berling, barling