Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/þewernā

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

Etymology

Derived from *þeu (“servant, slave”) + unknown suffix *-(w)ernā, which has been compared to Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐌳𐌿𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌽𐌰 (widuwairna, “orphan”), from 𐍅𐌹𐌳𐌿𐍅𐍉 (widuwō, “widow”). Compare also Old Norse þýborinn, from þý (“bondmaid”) +‎ borinn (“born”).

Noun

*þewernā f

1. handmaid, female servant

   Synonyms: *þiuwjā, *þiwi

2. maiden, young girl

   Synonyms: *magaþ, *magadīn, *mawilā

Inflection

ōn-stem
	Singular
Nominative	*þewernā
Genitive	*þewernōn
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	*þewernā	*þewernōn
Accusative	*þewernōn	*þewernōn
Genitive	*þewernōn	*þewernōnō
Dative	*þewernōn	*þewernōm, *þewernum
Instrumental	*þewernōn	*þewernōm, *þewernum

Alternative reconstructions

• *þeurnā

Descendants

• Old Saxon: thiorna
  • Middle Low German: dêrne
    • German Low German: Deern
      • → German: Deern
  • → Old Norse: þerna
    • Icelandic: þerna
    • Faroese: terna
    • Norwegian:
      • Norwegian Bokmål: terne m or f
      • Norwegian Nynorsk: terne f
    • Old Swedish: thærna
      • Swedish: tärna c
    • Danish: tærne
    • →? Middle English: therne, thierne, tharne, tarne
      • >? English: tern, tarn
• Old Dutch: thiorna
  • Middle Dutch: dierne
    • Dutch: deerne, deern
• Old High German: thiorna, diorna
  • Middle High German: dierne, diern
    • Bavarian:
      • Cimbrian: diirna, diarn (Luserna)
      • Mòcheno: diarn
    • German: Dirne
      • ⇒ German: Dirndl
        • → English: dirndl