*kloppōn

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *kloppōn "to knock, to hit; to pulse" for Proto-West Germanic,^[1] and EWA sets up West Germanic *kloppōi̯e/a-.^[2]

Etymology

It is perhaps inherited from Proto-Germanic *kluppōną, as Wiktionary suggests, relating it to Proto-Germanic *klappōną (“to clap”) and *klipjaną (“to be noisy”).^[1] EWA calls it an onomatopoeic verb formed with an expressive geminate.^[2]

Morphology

A weak verb of class II.^[2][3]

Evidence

Old High German has klopfōn from glosses of the 9th century on.^[2] Old Frisian has kloppia only in the phrase ⟨thine frethebon kloppia⟩, "to confirm the grant of the peace ban (by a blow)".^[3][2] EWA adds Middle Low German kloppen and early Middle Dutch cloppen (1276–1300).^[2] Wiktionary gives only reconstructed forms for Old Saxon and Old Dutch.^[1] Gamillscheg rejects Braune's derivation of French galop from Germanic *kloppōn "to knock".^[4]

Competing analyses

Wiktionary's alternative is a verb formed in West Germanic from a noun *klopp "knock" with the suffix *-ōn.^[1] Köbler instead refers the Old High German verb to Germanic *klapōn, *klappōn.^[5]

Meanings

1. to knock, to hit^[1]
2. to pulse^[1]

Old High German also used the verb for "to knock at" and "to palpitate".^[2][5]

Derivatives

• Old High German formed the compound klopfrūna (“a letter passed on by knocking”), with the verb stem as its first part.^[2]

Reflexes

• Old Frisian: kloppia (“to knock, to strike”)^[3]
• Old High German: klopfōn (“to knock, to knock at, to palpitate”)^[2][5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *kloppōn
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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. klopfôn
3. ^ a b c Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. kloppia
4. ^ Gamillscheg, Ernst (1966–1969), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der französischen Sprache, 2nd, fully revised ed., Heidelberg: Winter, p. 493
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. klopfōn