< Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic
Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/brēfijan
 | This Proto-West Germanic entry contains reconstructed words 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-West Germanic
Etymology
From *brēf (“letter, document”) + *-jan, which was borrowed from Late Latin brevis.
Verb
*brēfijan
- to write down in a letter
- to inform by letter
Inflection
| Class 1 weak | ||
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive | *brēfijan | |
| 1st sg. past | *brēfidā | |
| Infinitive | *brēfijan | |
| Genitive infin. | *brēfijannjas | |
| Dative infin. | *brēfijannjē | |
| Instrum. infin. | *brēfijannju | |
| Indicative | Present | Past |
| 1st singular | *brēfiju | *brēfidā |
| 2nd singular | *brēfisi | *brēfidēs, *brēfidōs |
| 3rd singular | *brēfiþi | *brēfidē, *brēfidā |
| 1st plural | *brēfijum | *brēfidum |
| 2nd plural | *brēfiþ | *brēfidud |
| 3rd plural | *brēfijanþ | *brēfidun |
| Subjunctive | Present | Past |
| 1st singular | *brēfijē | *brēfidī |
| 2nd singular | *brēfijēs | *brēfidī |
| 3rd singular | *brēfijē | *brēfidī |
| 1st plural | *brēfijēm | *brēfidīm |
| 2nd plural | *brēfijēþ | *brēfidīd |
| 3rd plural | *brēfijēn | *brēfidīn |
| Imperative | Present | |
| Singular | *brēfi | |
| Plural | *brēfiþ | |
| Present | Past | |
| Participle | *brēfijandī | *brēfid |
Descendants
- Old English: brēfan
- Middle English: breven
- English: brief
- Middle English: breven
- Old Saxon: brēvian
- Middle Low German: *brēven
- ⇒ Middle Low German: bebrēven
- ⇒ Middle Low German: vörbrēven
- Middle Low German: *brēven
- Old Dutch: *briefen
- Middle Dutch: brieven
- Dutch: brieven
- Middle Dutch: brieven
- Old High German: briefen, briefen
- Middle High German: briefen, brieven