*smiþaz

Reconstruction

The word is *smiþaz in Orel and Wiktionary^[1][2] and *smiþa- in Köbler,^[3] but Kroonen reconstructs a u-stem *smiþu-,^[4] and EWA too starts from *smiþu- beside *smiþa(n)-.^[5]

Etymology

Orel derives it from Proto-Indo-European *smei- (“to spread, to smear”) with a suffix *-to-, comparing Ancient Greek σμάω (smáō).^[1] Kroonen gives it no further etymology.^[4]

Morphology

A masculine noun, an a-stem in Orel, Köbler and Wiktionary,^[1][3][2] a u-stem in Kroonen, who thinks it may be an agentive tu-stem like Gothic 𐌷𐌻𐌹𐍆𐍄𐌿𐍃 (hliftus, “thief”).^[4] Orel notes that Old Norse has u- and i-stem forms beside the a-stem.^[1] Gothic has only the n-stem in the compound Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌶𐌰𐍃𐌼𐌹𐌸𐌰 (aizasmiþa, “coppersmith”), an n-stem limited to Gothic.^[6][4] Köbler sets up the n-stem *smiþō- beside the a-stem.^[7]

Evidence

The word is attested in all three branches: Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌶𐌰𐍃𐌼𐌹𐌸𐌰 (aizasmiþa) in Gothic, Old Norse smiðr in Old Norse, and Old English smiþ, Old Frisian smeth and Old High German smid in West Germanic.^[4] The Gothic compound occurs once, at 2 Timothy 4:14, translating Ancient Greek χαλκεύς (khalkeús).^[8] Old High German has the word from the 8th century, in the Abrogans and other glosses.^[5]

Competing analyses

Kroonen finds it hard to say whether the root was *smei- or *smeit-, and calls the connection with Ancient Greek σμίλη (smílē, “knife, chisel”) formally problematic.^[4] Orel compares the semantic path of Proto-Slavic *kaliti (“to temper metal”) from Proto-Slavic *kalъ (“dirt”), through an intermediate "to dip the metal into water or clay".^[1] Wiktionary judges the link with *smey- formally difficult and the likeness with the Greek verb perhaps coincidental, but thinks the word likely related to *smītaną "to strike".^[2]

Meanings

1. smith^[4][1][3]
2. craftsman^[2]

Since the related *smiþō means simply "handicraft" in Old Norse, Kroonen thinks the root once meant something broader than "smith", closer to "craftsman".^[4] Old Norse used the word also for "craftsman, artist", and Old English also for "carpenter".^[9][10]

Derivatives

• *smiþjǭ "smithy".^[11][12]
• *smiþōną "to forge, to fashion".^[13][14]
• *smiþō "craftsmanship", which Kroonen relates to the noun, with the collective *smiþja- "jewelry".^[15]
• Compounds in Orel: *ʒulþa-smiþaz "goldsmith", *īsarna-smiþaz "blacksmith", *siluƀra-smiþaz "silversmith" and *smiþa-ƀalʒiz "bellows".^{[16][17][18][19]}

Reflexes

• Gothic: 𐌰𐌹𐌶𐌰𐍃𐌼𐌹𐌸𐌰 (aizasmiþa, “coppersmith”), in a compound^[8]
• Old Norse: smiðr (“smith, craftsman, artist”)^[9]
• Old English: smiþ (“smith, carpenter, craftsman”)^[10]
• Old Frisian: smith (“smith”)^[20]
• Old Saxon: smith (“smith”)^[21]
• Old High German: smid (“smith”)^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *smiþaz
2. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *smiþaz
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *smiþa-
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 460
5. ^ a b c Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. s.v. smid
6. ^ Casaretto, Antje (2004), Nominale Wortbildung der gotischen Sprache: Die Derivation der Substantive, Heidelberg: Winter, p. s.v. aiza-smiþa
7. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *smiþō-
8. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. aizasmiþa
9. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard, Altnordisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary database copy), p. s.v. smiðr
10. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. smiþ
11. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *smiþjǭ
12. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *smiþjōn
13. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *smiþōną
14. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *smiþōjanan
15. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 458
16. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *ʒulþa-smiþaz
17. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *īsarna-smiþaz
18. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *siluƀra-smiþaz
19. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *smiþa-ƀalʒiz
20. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altfriesisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. smith
21. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. smith