Reconstruction:Proto-Brythonic/ster
Proto-Brythonic
Etymology
From Proto-Celtic *sterās, plural of *sterā, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr. The Proto-Celtic nominative singular and plural would have become homophones in Proto-Brythonic, and in this case the plural was generalized.
Noun
*ster f pl (singulative *sterenn)
Descendants
- Old Breton: *ster
- Old Cornish: *ster
- Old Welsh: *ser
Reconstruction notes
For the three Old Brythonic languages the reflexes of *ster are not directly attested, but these can easily be inferred from the attested singulatives; Old Breton sterenn, Old Cornish steren, Old Welsh serenn.
References
R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “sêr”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies