Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wībą

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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

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Etymology

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Unknown, with a number of disputed suggestions. One suggestion connects Tocharian A/B kip/kwīpe (genitals, female pudenda) (perhaps also Albanian cipë (sense of shame, membrane)), for a hypothetical Proto-Indo-European *gʰwíbʰ- (pudenda).[1][2] Another suggestion connects Old English wǣfan (wrap, clothe), Old Norse vífa (wrap, veil) for a suggested original motive of "married woman wearing a scarf".[3] Yet another suggestion connects Old High German weibon (move to and fro), Old Norse veifa (swing, throw), for a motive of "one who is moving busily; housekeeper, maidservant" (c.f. German Weibel (manservant, usher)).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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*wībą n

  1. woman
    Synonym: *kwenǭ
  2. wife
    Hyponym: *frawjǭ
    Synonym: *kwēniz

Inflection

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neuter a-stemDeclension of *wībą (neuter a-stem)
singular plural
nominative *wībą *wībō
vocative *wībą *wībō
accusative *wībą *wībō
genitive *wības, *wībis *wībǫ̂
dative *wībai *wībamaz
instrumental *wībō *wībamiz

Descendants

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References

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  1. ^ Adams, Douglas Q. (1999) A dictionary of Tocharian B (Leiden Studies in Indo-European; 10), Amsterdam, Atlanta: Rodopi, →ISBN, page 238
  2. ^ Klaus Totila Schmit and Klaus Strunk, “Toch. B kwī̆pe ‘Schaum, Schande’, A kip ‘Schaum’ und germ. *wīƀa ‘Weib’”, Indogermanica Europaea: Festschrift für Wolfgang Meid (Graz: Institut für Sprachwissenschaft der Universität Graz, 1989), pages 251-284
  3. ^ Guus Kroonen (2013) Alexander Lubotsky, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 584