*brūn

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *brūn "brown",^[1] and Gamillscheg derives the French word from West Germanic *brūn.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *brūnaz (“brown”),^[3][4] which Orel writes *ƀrūnaz and Köbler *brūna-, *brūnaz.^[4][3] Boutkan and Siebinga reconstruct Proto-Frisian *brūn.^[5]

Morphology

An adjective.^[6][7]

Evidence

EWA finds the adjective in all the Germanic languages except Gothic, where Wulfila's text gave no occasion for it.^[7] The word is attested as Old English brūn, Old Frisian brūn and Old High German brūn;^[6][8][7] Old Saxon has it in names and perhaps in the compound brūnfaro, which may rather be Old High German.^[9][10] In Old High German it is especially early and frequent in the personal name Brūno, from the 8th century.^[7] ONW records Old Dutch brūn as a byname in Latin documents, as in "Gerardus qui dicitur Brune".^[11]

Gamillscheg holds that West Germanic *brūn, like the word for "blond", was already borrowed into Vulgar Latin, because Latin fuscus and lividus named other shades.^[2] Latin brunus is first found in Isidore of Seville, and French brun from the 12th century.^[2] EWA reports Kluge's view that Roman soldiers took the word into Vulgar Latin, and calls the testimony of Isidore disputed.^[7]

Competing analyses

Orel sets up two Proto-Germanic adjectives, one "brown" and one behind Old English brūn "shining, flashing", and notes that Heidermanns identifies them.^[4] EWA rejects Dal's attempt to explain the sense "shining, polished" of weapons by a second source meaning "edge".^[7]

Meanings

1. brown^[1]

Old English also used the word for "dark, shining",^[6] Old Frisian for "shining",^[8] and Old High German for "dark, black-brown, red-brown, chestnut".^[7]

Derivatives

• *brūnijan "to make brown, to tan", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[12] Köbler sets up Proto-Germanic *brūnjan for Old High German brūnen (“to brown, to adorn”).^[13]

Reflexes

• Old English: brūn (“brown, dark, shining”)^[6]
• Old Frisian: brūn (“brown, shining”)^[8]
• Old Saxon: brūn (“brown, shining”)^[9]
• Old Dutch: brūn (“brown”)^[11]
• Old High German: brūn (“brown, dark, red-brown, chestnut”)^[7]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *brūn
2. ^ a b c Gamillscheg, Ernst (1966–1969), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der französischen Sprache, 2nd, fully revised ed., Heidelberg: Winter, p. s.v. brun
3. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *brūna-
4. ^ a b c Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 60
5. ^ Boutkan, Dirk; Siebinga, Sjoerd Michiel (2005), Old Frisian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 1, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. brun
6. ^ a b c d Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. brūn
7. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. brûn
8. ^ a b c Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. brūn
9. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. brūn
10. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. brūnfaro
11. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. brūn
12. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *brūnijan
13. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *brūnjan