*fuir

Reconstruction

Ringe and Taylor reconstruct the nominative-accusative singular as disyllabic *fuïr,^[1] and Wiktionary writes *fuir.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *fōr (“fire”),^[2][3] which Kroonen reconstructs as a heteroclitic paradigm, nominative *fōr, genitive *funins, dative *fu(w)eni.^[3] Ringe and Taylor describe the inherited neuter r/n-stem as much remodelled in Proto-West Germanic: its unusual sequence *-uï- can only have arisen when the *-r of the nominative-accusative was levelled into the oblique stem *fuïn-, which may itself be dissimilated from *funin-.^[1] Kroonen likewise holds that West Germanic generalized the forms with r, and bases the forms with front mutation, Old English fȳr and Old High German fuir and ⟨fiur⟩, on a dative *fu(w)eri.^[3] EWA reports Klingenschmitt's explanation: to the genitive *fun-iz a dative-locative *fuin-i was formed, which then took the r of the nominative-accusative *fūr, giving the stem *fuir carried through in West Germanic.^[4]

Morphology

A neuter noun, inflected in the daughters as an a-stem, which may already have been the case in Proto-West Germanic.^[1] Ringe and Taylor doubt that the Old High German dative or instrumental ⟨fyur⟩ continues an inherited dative singular *fuïri, since other a-stems also have endingless datives.^[1]

Evidence

The word is attested as Old High German vugir, ⟨fuir⟩ and ⟨fiur⟩, Old Frisian fiur and Old Saxon fiur, and became Old English fȳr, perhaps through *fyïr.^[5] The Old English long vowel arose by contraction of the vowels in hiatus.^[6] In the oldest Old High German sources the word was disyllabic ⟨fuir⟩, as the spelling ⟨vugir⟩ in the Muspilli shows; ⟨fiur⟩, found from the 9th century, and the Old Saxon and Old Frisian ⟨fiur⟩ have the unusual sequence ⟨ui⟩ turned round to ⟨iu⟩.^[4] In Old Dutch, ONW records the nominative ⟨fuir⟩ in the Old Low Franconian psalms of 901–1000.^[7]

Competing analyses

Köbler gives a West Germanic *fewur.^[8] EWA reports that Schweikle and Bartholomae took Old High German ⟨ui⟩ for a spelling of an early ǖ, and rejects this because of the disyllabic ⟨vugir⟩ in the Muspilli.^[4] Boutkan and Siebinga see in the Germanic forms traces of an old r/n inflection together with ablaut in the root.^[9]

Meanings

1. fire^[5][2]

Old High German also used the word for "fireplace, hearth, oven",^[4] and Old Frisian for "ordeal by fire" and "lightning".^[10]

Derivatives

• *fuirēn "to ignite, to flare up, to glow", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[2] Old English has the weak verb fȳrian (“to supply with fire”).^[11]

Reflexes

• Old English: fȳr (“fire”)^[12]
• Old Frisian: fiūr (“fire, hearth fire, ordeal by fire, lightning”)^[10]
• Old Saxon: fiur (“fire”)^[13]
• Old Dutch: fuir (“fire”)^[7]
• Old High German: fiur (“fire, fireplace, hearth, oven”)^[4]

References

1. ^ a b c d Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 119
2. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *fuir
3. ^ a b c Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 151
4. ^ a b c d e 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. fiur
5. ^ a b Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 225
6. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 318
7. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. fuir
8. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. fȳr
9. ^ Boutkan, Dirk; Siebinga, Sjoerd Michiel (2005), Old Frisian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 1, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. fior
10. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. fiūr
11. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. fȳrian
12. ^ Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. fȳr
13. ^ Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. 130