Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/derk

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Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/derk

This Proto-West 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-West Germanic

Etymology

Uncertain; possibly from Proto-Germanic *derkaz, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰerg-o-s, from *dʰerg- (“to dim, darken”). Perhaps cognate with Tocharian A tärkär, Tocharian B tarkär (“cloud”), Old Irish derg (“red”), and possibly Proto-Balto-Slavic *dárˀgāˀ (“bad weather”).[1][2]

Adjective

*derk

1. dirty
2. dark

Inflection

a-stem
Singular	Masculine
Nominative	*derk
Genitive	*derkas
Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	*derk	*derku	*derk
Accusative	*derkanā	*derkā	*derk
Genitive	*derkas	*derkeʀā	*derkas
Dative	*derkumē	*derkeʀē	*derkumē
Instrumental	*derku	*derkeʀu	*derku
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	*derkē	*derkō	*derku
Accusative	*derkā	*derkā	*derku
Genitive	*derkeʀō	*derkeʀō	*derkeʀō
Dative	*derkēm, *derkum	*derkēm, *derkum	*derkēm, *derkum
Instrumental	*derkēm, *derkum	*derkēm, *derkum	*derkēm, *derkum

Derived terms

• *dirkinōn
• *derkōn

Descendants

• Old English: deorc, dearc
  • Middle English: derk, dearc, dork, durk
    • English: dark
    • Scots: derk
    • Yola: dhourk, durk
• Old High German: *tarch, *terch, *terk, *derk (in derivatives)

References

1. Orel, Vladimir (2003), “*derkaz”, in A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 71
2. Kroonen, Guus (2013), “*derka-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 93