Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/wáy

This Proto-Indo-European 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-Indo-European

Alternative forms

• *uwáy (based on Anatolian, Indo-Iranian, Slavic forms)

Etymology

Might have been from an earlier *uwáy (“to see oneself”), which has been preserved in Hittite [script needed] (uwai) and Sanskrit उवे (uvé). The form *wáy would then represent a later innovation. But probably of expressive origin.

Interjection

*wáy

1. oh!
2. ah!
3. woe!
4. alas!

Alternative reconstructions

• *uwóy
• *wóy

Derived terms

• *waylos (“howler; wolf”)

Unsorted formations

• ⇒? Proto-Celtic: *wailannā (see there for further descendants)
  • → English: gull, seagull

Descendants

• Proto-Anatolian: *uwáy
  • Hittite: [script needed] (uwai)
• Albanian: vaj
• Proto-Balto-Slavic: *wái, *uwái
  • Latvian: vai
  • Lithuanian: vai̇̃
  • Proto-Slavic: *uvy
• Proto-Celtic: *wai (see there for further descendants)
• Proto-Germanic: *wai (see there for further descendants)
• >? Proto-Hellenic: *wái
  • >? Ancient Greek: αἴ (aí), αἶ (aî), αἰαῖ (aiaî), οἴ (oí), οἶ (oî), ὀῐ̈́ (oĭ̈́) — Ionic
  • >? Ancient Greek: οὐαί (ouaí) (possibly)
• Proto-Indo-Iranian: *wáy, *uwáy
  • Proto-Indo-Aryan: *uwáy
    • Sanskrit: उवे (uvé)
    • Kashmiri: وای (wāy)
  • Proto-Iranian: *wáy
    • Avestan: 𐬬𐬀𐬫𐬋𐬌 (vayōi)
    • Middle Persian: [Book Pahlavi needed] (wʾd /⁠wāy⁠/), 𐫇𐫀𐫏 (wʾy /⁠wāy⁠/)
      • Persian: وای (vây)
      • → Turkish: vay
    • Parthian: 𐫇𐫀𐫏 (wʾy /⁠wāy⁠/)
    • Zazaki: way
    • → Old Armenian: վայ (vay)
      • Armenian: վայ (vay)
• Proto-Italic: *wai
  • Latin: vae (see there for further descendants)