Etymology and origin of the Proto-Germanic word *skrapōną
- Confidence
- Probable
- From
- Proto-Indo-European *skrebʰ-
Etymology tree
Reconstruction
The verb is *skrapōną in Wiktionary[1] and *skrapōn in Köbler;[2] Orel writes *skrapōjanan.[3]
Etymology
Kroonen heads it *skrapp/bōn- ~ *skarbōn- and traces it to a European *skrobʰ-néh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European *skrebʰ-.[4] Wiktionary derives it from *skrepaną "to scratch, scrape" with the suffix *-ōną.[1]
Morphology
A weak verb of the second class.[5][6] Kroonen calls it the iterative to the strong verb *skerban- ~ *skerpan- ~ *skrepan- "to scrape, scratch"; its o-grade implies an older o-grade intensive strong verb *skraban-, from PIE *skróbʰ-, compare Latvian skrabt (“to scratch”).[7] His heading covers the variants with p, pp and b, as in Middle Dutch schraven, schrabben, schrappen and schrapen.[7]
Evidence
The verb is found only in Northwest Germanic: Old Norse skrapa, Old English scrapian, Middle Dutch and Middle High German schraffen; no Gothic form is listed.[7][3] Katz derived some Ludian and Veps verbs from Proto-Germanic *skrapōn;[8] LÄGLOS finds this unlikely, because it needs a metathesis without parallel in Proto-Finnic.[8]
Competing analyses
Orel derives the verb from the strong verb *skrepanan, which he relates to Lithuanian skrembù (“to get a thin crust”), skrabt and Proto-Slavic *skrebti (“to scratch”).[9] Köbler sets it under PIE *skerbʰ-, *skrebʰ- "to cut".[2] Holthausen compared Latin scrobis (“pit”).[10]
Meanings
Orel also glosses Old Norse skrapa "to clatter",[3] a sense that de Vries gives to a separate verb meaning "to make a noise, to chatter".[11]
Reflexes
References
- ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *skrapōną
- ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *skrapōn
- ^ a b c Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 343
- ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 444, 447
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Altnordisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary database copy), p. s.v. skrapa
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. scrapian
- ^ a b c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 447
- ^ a b Kylstra, A. D.; Hahmo, Sirkka-Liisa; Hofstra, Tette; Nikkilä, Osmo (1991–2012), Lexikon der älteren germanischen Lehnwörter in den ostseefinnischen Sprachen, 3 vols, Amsterdam / Atlanta / New York: Rodopi, p. 42
- ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 343, 344
- ^ a b Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. scrapian
- ^ a b de Vries, Jan (1977), Altnordisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 2nd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. skrapa
Related etymologies
- *stainaz · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *beraną · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *fadēr · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *watōr · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *ga- · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *frijaz · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *fallaną · also from Proto-Indo-European
- *standaną · also from Proto-Indo-European
Cite this entry
“*skrapōną.” Etymologically, 16 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/gem-pro/*skrap%C5%8Dn%C4%85. Accessed 16 Nov. 2026.
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