Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/bergā

This Proto-Celtic 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-Celtic

Etymology

From either:

According to Matasović, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry”), similar to Latin fur (“thief”), though the *-gā suffix is unusual.^[1]
According to Schrijver, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“high”); "stealing" developing from "flying" has a parallel in French voler (“to fly, steal”).^[2]

Noun

*bergā f^[1]

robbery, pillage

Declension

Feminine ā-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*bergā	*bergai	*bergās
vocative	*bergā	*bergai	*bergās
accusative	*bergam	*bergai	*bergāns
genitive	*bergās	*bergous	*bergom
dative	*bergāi	*bergābom	*bergābos
locative	*bergai	*?	*?
instrumental	*?	*bergābim	*bergābis

Descendants

Proto-Brythonic:
- Middle Welsh: beryf, bery
  - Welsh: bery (“bird of prey”)
Old Irish: berg

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Matasović, Ranko (2009) “*bergā-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 62
^ Schrijver, Peter C. H. (1995) Studies in British Celtic historical phonology (Leiden studies in Indo-European; 5), Amsterdam, Atlanta: Rodopi, page 56

[Matasovic-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Matasović, Ranko (2009) “*bergā-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 62

[2] Schrijver, Peter C. H. (1995) Studies in British Celtic historical phonology (Leiden studies in Indo-European; 5), Amsterdam, Atlanta: Rodopi, page 56

[1]

[2]