*hlutą

Reconstruction

The word is *hlutą in Wiktionary^[1] and *hluta- or *hlutam in Köbler.^[2] Seebold lists it as *hlut-a-m among the nouns of the verb *hleutaną, his HLEUT-A-.^[3] Kroonen names *hluta- only in his article on the i-stem *hluti- "share", as the source of the West Germanic words.^[4] Orel heads it *xlutōn and mentions a by-form *xlutan.^[5]

Etymology

The root is from Proto-Indo-European *klewH- (“lot, fate”), which Kroonen writes *kleuH- and calls Germanic and Baltic.^[6][7] Wiktionary calls the word a nominal formation to the root of *hleutaną "to cast lots", and compares Latvian kļũtas (“fate”).^[1]

Morphology

A neuter a-stem.^[2][3] Seebold sets it beside other nouns of the same verb: *hlaut-a-m, *hlaut-ō, *hlaut-i-z, *hlut-i-z and *hlut-ōn.^[3] Kroonen has the o-grade *hlautaz "lot" and the i-stem *hluti- "share", both from the verb.^[8]

Evidence

The neuter is found in West Germanic: Old English hlot and Old Frisian hlot.^[2][3] Kroonen adds Old High German loz and hloz.^[4] The family is older: Gothic 𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌿𐍄𐍃 (hlauts, “lot”) belongs to the o-grade noun, and Old Norse hlutr (“lot; share, part”) to the i-stem.^[8]

Competing analyses

The sources assign the nouns differently: Orel's *xlutōn includes Old Norse hluti (“part, share”) and Old High German hluz,^[5] which Kroonen puts with the i-stem, and Orel sets lōz and hlōz under *xlautaz.^[9] Wiktionary lists both hlutr and hluti among the descendants.^[1]

For the root, Kroonen speculates that the Germanic t continues the root *dh₃- "to give", so that *kleuH-dh₃- first meant "to give by lot".^[7] Mailhammer gives the verb no IE etymology.^[10] Köbler connects PIE *klēu- "hook; to lock",^[2] which Wiktionary thinks less likely.^[6]

Meanings

1. lot, share^[2][1]
2. fate^[1]

Old English also used the word for "choice, decision",^[11] and Old Frisian for a lot drawn to choose among persons or in games of chance.^[12]

Derivatives

• *hlutōną "to cast lots, to be allotted".^[13] Orel derives his *xlutōjanan "to draw lots" from the i-stem instead.^[5]

Reflexes

• Old English: hlot (“lot, share; choice, decision”)^[11]
• Old Frisian: hlot (“lot”)^[12]
• Old High German: loz, hloz, as Kroonen lists them^[4]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hlutą
2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *hluta-
3. ^ a b c d Seebold, Elmar (1970), Vergleichendes und etymologisches Wörterbuch der germanischen starken Verben, The Hague / Paris: Mouton, p. HLEUT-A-
4. ^ a b c Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 233
5. ^ a b c Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 178
6. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hleutaną
7. ^ a b Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 230
8. ^ a b Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 229, 233
9. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 175
10. ^ Mailhammer, Robert (2007), The Germanic Strong Verbs: Foundations and Development of a New System, Trends in Linguistics 183, Berlin / New York: Mouton de Gruyter, p. 216
11. ^ a b Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. hlot
12. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. hlot
13. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hlutōną