Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wisundz

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 forms

Etymology

Likely a lexicalization of the present participle *wesandz (Stiles 2004; cf. Krahe–Meid 1967:§129.1), from Proto-Indo-European *wes- (“to graze”). The naming-motive “big-eater” is suggested as hunters' taboo (compare 'grey one' for both hare and wolves; 'brown one' or 'honey-eater' for bear in Indo-European). Latin bisōn/bisōntis, variant visōn, is a first-century loan directly from continental West Proto-Germanic, as are Greek forms. Compare Old Prussian wissambrs (“bison”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈwi.sundz/

Noun

*wisundz m

  1. wisent, bison

Declension

Declension of *wisundz (consonant stem)
singular plural
nominative *wisundz *wisundiz
vocative *wisund *wisundiz
accusative *wisundų *wisundunz
genitive *wisundiz *wisundǫ̂
dative *wisundi *wisundumaz
instrumental *wisundē *wisundumiz

Descendants

  • Old English: wesend, wesand, weosend
  • Old Saxon: *wisund, *wisand
    • Middle Low German: wēsent, wisent
    • → Old Norse: vísundr
  • Old Dutch: *wisund, *wisand, wisent (in placenames)
  • Old High German: wisunt, wisant
  • → Latin: bisōn, bisōnt-
  • Gothic or Suevic:
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.