*stark

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *stark "stiff, stark" for Proto-West Germanic.^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *starkuz (“stiff, strong”),^[1][2] which Köbler cites as *starku- or *starka-, Kroonen as *starka-, Orel as *starkaz and Heidermanns as *starka-.^[3][4][5][6] Kroonen takes it for an o-grade adjective to a verbal root.^[4]

Morphology

An adjective.^[7][8] Among its derivatives Heidermanns lists a weak verb "to strengthen", a second weak verb in Old Frisian, a verb "to grow stiff" in Old English and Old High German, and an abstract noun "strength".^[6]

Evidence

The adjective is attested in all the West Germanic languages: Old English stearc,^[7] Old Frisian sterk, with the variants sterik and stark,^[9] Old Saxon stark in the Heliand,^[10][11] Old Dutch stark in the Old Low Franconian psalms of the 10th century and in Williram's commentary of about 1100,^[12] and Old High German starc, recorded since the 9th century.^[8] Old High German also has a rare stirki, found only in the nominative singular masculine, which Heidermanns traces to an ablaut variant *sterka-.^[13][7]

Competing analyses

The stem class of the Proto-Germanic adjective is disputed:^[14][4] Wiktionary reconstructs a u-stem *starkuz,^[14] and Köbler gives both *starku- and *starka-,^[3] while Kroonen sets up an a-stem *starka- and Orel *starkaz.^[4][5] LÄGLOS notes the common view that *starka- replaced an older *starku-.^[15] Heidermanns explains Old Norse sterkr and Old High German stirki from an ablaut variant *sterka-,^[13] whereas Kroonen doubts that the Norse form can prove such a variant, since *sterka- would have given *stjarkr with breaking.^[4]

Meanings

1. stiff, strong^[1][6]

Heidermanns takes the original meaning to be "stiff, hard", whence "hard, unbending".^[6] Old English used the word for "stiff, severe, hard, strong, violent",^[7] Old Saxon also for "hostile, angry",^[16] and Old High German for "strong, powerful, heavy, firm, strict".^[8]

Derivatives

• *starkijan "to strengthen", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[17] the verb is attested as Old Saxon sterkian, Old Dutch sterken and Old High German sterken.^[18][19][20]
• *starkēn "to become stiff, to become strong", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[21] it is attested as Old English stearcian (“to grow stiff, to grow hard”).^[22]
• *starkī "strength", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[23] it is attested as Old Dutch sterki (“strength”) and Old High German sterkī.^[24][25]
• *starkiþu "power, strength", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[26] Heidermanns lists Old High German starkida and Middle Dutch stercte.^[6]

Reflexes

• Old English: stearc (“stiff, severe, hard, strong, violent”)^[7]
• Old Frisian: sterk (“strong, powerful”)^[9]
• Old Saxon: stark (“strong, powerful, mighty, firm, hardened, obstinate”)^[10]
• Old Dutch: stark (“strong”)^[12]
• Old High German: starc (“strong, powerful, mighty, heavy, firm, strict”)^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *stark
2. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. stearc
3. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *starku-
4. ^ a b c d e Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 474
5. ^ a b Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 372
6. ^ a b c d e Heidermanns, Frank (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der germanischen Primäradjektive, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter, p. s.v. starka-
7. ^ a b c d e Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. stearc
8. ^ a b c d 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. starc
9. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. sterk
10. ^ a b Tiefenbach, Heinrich (2010), Altsächsisches Handwörterbuch / A Concise Old Saxon Dictionary, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter, p. s.v. stark
11. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. stark
12. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. stark
13. ^ a b Heidermanns, Frank (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der germanischen Primäradjektive, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter, p. s.v. sterka-
14. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *starkuz
15. ^ 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. 277
16. ^ Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. 377
17. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *starkijan
18. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. sterkian
19. ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Altniederfränkisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. sterken
20. ^ 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. sterken
21. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *starkēn
22. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. stearcian
23. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *starkī
24. ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Altniederfränkisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. sterki
25. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. sterkī
26. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *starkiþu