Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/ehþau

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

Compound of *eh (“but, except”) + *þau, the former being the only Germanic evidence of Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs, *h₁eḱ(s). While the Germanic form could theoretically also represent *eþ-þau, the form *eh-þau is required by the Gothic reflex, where expected *𐌹𐌸𐌸𐌰𐌿 (*iþþau) is instead 𐌰𐌹𐌸𐌸𐌰𐌿 (aiþþau), which shows the first consonant must have originally been -𐌷- (-h-), -𐍈- (-ƕ-) or -𐍂- (-r-); and further shows the Proto-Germanic form itself had not yet become *eþþau as it did in the daughter languages. For the semantics, compare Proto-Celtic *extos (“except, but”), Ancient Greek ἐκτός (ektós, “without, outside; except”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈex.θɑu̯/

Conjunction

*ehþau

1. or, otherwise, but if

Related terms

• *efþau (or *ifiþau?)
• *ufþau (or *ufaþau?)
• *uþþau

Descendants

• Old English: eþþa
• Old Saxon: ettha, ettho
• Old Norse: eða
  • Icelandic: eða
• Gothic: 𐌰𐌹𐌸𐌸𐌰𐌿 (aiþþau)