Reconstruction talk:Proto-Germanic/þekwōną

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Latest comment: 1 year ago by Leasnam in topic þekwōną
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þekwōną

[edit]

May I suggest that the cited form, þekwōną, is a late form, and that in PGmc there was a distinction between the transitive (causative) verb and the intransitive verb:

  • þekwāną – weak verb 3 – intransitive – to become thick
  • þikwijaną – weak verb 1 – transitive – to make thick

… and that this distinction was lost when both verbs merged as *þekwōną at a later stage in PGmc or PWGmc, > OE þiccian.

In defence of this proposition, I will point out that OE þiccian is shown in Bosworth-Toller as transitive (to make thick) and intransitive (to become thick); and that there is a tendency for weak verbs of other conjugations (classes 1 and 3) to shift into class 2 over time.

2001:8003:3417:5F00:1C41:26F4:9AB:35CC 04:00, 28 June 2023 (UTC)Reply

OHG has both dikkōn (to make thick, condense) and dikkēn (to thicken, become thick), and Old Norse has þjokkva (to make thick, weak 2 verb), so a weak 2 verb was likely an original. Leasnam (talk) 04:15, 28 June 2023 (UTC)Reply
There is also another reconstruction you may be interested in (if you have not yet seen it) at *þikkwēn, which also lists Old English þiccian as a descendant. Leasnam (talk) 04:19, 28 June 2023 (UTC)Reply