Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/smēhaz

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

Alternative reconstructions

  • *smēhijaz (West Germanic)

Etymology

Apparently from a pre-Germanic form *smeh₁k-o-s, with no certain cognates outside of Germanic. The traditional comparison with Ancient Greek μῑκρός (mīkrós, little, small), traditionally derived from a Proto-Indo-European *(s)meyg-, *(s)mēyg- (small, thin, delicate; to rub, smear), is phonetically untenable, and the Greek is thought to be derived from a substrate, rendering the Germanic formation isolated.[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsmɛː.xɑz/

Adjective

*smēhaz

  1. small; little

Inflection

Declension of *smēhaz (a-stem)
Strong declension
singular plural
masculine feminine neuter masculine feminine neuter
nominative *smēhaz *smēhō *smēhą, -atō *smēhai *smēhôz *smēhō
accusative *smēhanǭ *smēhǭ *smēhą, -atō *smēhanz *smēhōz *smēhō
genitive *smēhas, -is *smēhaizōz *smēhas, -is *smēhaizǫ̂ *smēhaizǫ̂ *smēhaizǫ̂
dative *smēhammai *smēhaizōi *smēhammai *smēhaimaz *smēhaimaz *smēhaimaz
instrumental *smēhanō *smēhaizō *smēhanō *smēhaimiz *smēhaimiz *smēhaimiz
Weak declension
singular plural
masculine feminine neuter masculine feminine neuter
nominative *smēhô *smēhǭ *smēhô *smēhaniz *smēhōniz *smēhōnō
accusative *smēhanų *smēhōnų *smēhô *smēhanunz *smēhōnunz *smēhōnō
genitive *smēhiniz *smēhōniz *smēhiniz *smēhanǫ̂ *smēhōnǫ̂ *smēhanǫ̂
dative *smēhini *smēhōni *smēhini *smēhammaz *smēhōmaz *smēhammaz
instrumental *smēhinē *smēhōnē *smēhinē *smēhammiz *smēhōmiz *smēhammiz

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Proto-West Germanic: *smāh, *smāhī
    • Old Saxon: smāh
      • Middle Low German: smâ
        • Middle Low German: smâlīk, smêlīk
        • Middle Low German: smâwort
    • Old Dutch: smā
      • Middle Dutch: smalike, smelike, smeelike, smalijc, smaliken
        • Dutch: (archaic) smalijk
    • Old High German: smāhi
      • Middle High German: smæhe
        • German: schmähe, schmäch
          • German: schmächlich
        • Middle High German: smæhelīche
  • Old Norse: smár

References

  1. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013) “*smēha-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎[1], Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 456