*gard

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *gard "enclosure" for Proto-West Germanic.^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *gardaz (“enclosure, yard”),^[1][2] which Kroonen cites by its stem *garda- and Orel as *ʒarđaz.^[2][3]

Morphology

A masculine a-stem.^[2][4] Casaretto contrasts the a-stem of North and West Germanic with the i-stem of Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌳𐍃 (gards), and leaves open whether the Gothic inflection is inherited.^[5] For Old High German gart EWA finds no case forms that would decide between an a-stem and an i-stem.^[6] Beside it stood an n-stem, Old High German garto, Old Saxon gardo, Old Frisian garda, which EWA explains as an extension of the older a-stem with *-n-.^[6]

Evidence

The strong noun is attested as Old English ġeard, Old Saxon gard and Old High German gart,^[2][6] while Old Frisian has the weak garda.^[7][6] Old Dutch has it in the compound gardbrunno (“garden well”) in Williram's commentary of about 1100,^[8] and EWA cites an Old Low Franconian dative ⟨-charde⟩ in ⟨olecharde⟩ "in or at a bee garden".^[6] In Lombard the noun is probably found as the name element ⟨-gardus⟩, ⟨-cardus⟩.^[6] A Frankish *gard (“enclosure”) is inferred from Old French jard (“vegetable garden”), continued in the Romance derivative French jardin, recorded from the 12th century.^[6][9]

Meanings

1. enclosure^[1]

Old English also used the word for "court", "hedge" and "dwelling",^[4] Old Saxon for "field, earth" and, in the plural, "house",^[10][11] and Old High German for "garden", "fenced plot" and "circle".^[6]

Derivatives

• *gardō "hedge, fence", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[12] Orel lists Old Frisian garda, Old Saxon gardo and Old High German garto as a variant of the a-stem.^[13]
• *wīnagard "vineyard", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[14] Orel lists Old English wīnġeard, Old Saxon wīngardo and Old High German wīngarto.^[15]
• Wiktionary reconstructs Proto-Germanic *midjagardaz (“the world, Middle Earth”);^[16] Orel lists Old English middanġeard and Old Saxon middilgard, the latter with dissimilation.^[17]

Reflexes

• Old English: ġeard (“court, enclosure, hedge, dwelling, land”)^[4]
• Old Saxon: gard (“field, earth; in the plural, house”)^[10]
• Old Dutch: gardbrunno (“garden well”) (in a compound only)^[8]
• Old High German: gart (“garden, enclosed plot, circle”)^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *gard
2. ^ a b c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 169
3. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 126
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. geard
5. ^ Casaretto, Antje (2004), Nominale Wortbildung der gotischen Sprache: Die Derivation der Substantive, Heidelberg: Winter, p. §2.7.1.1.2
6. ^ 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. gart²
7. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altfriesisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. garda
8. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard, Altniederfränkisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. gardbrunno
9. ^ Gamillscheg, Ernst (1966–1969), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der französischen Sprache, 2nd, fully revised ed., Heidelberg: Winter, p. 576
10. ^ a b Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. 153
11. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. gard
12. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *gardō
13. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 127
14. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *wīnagard
15. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 467
16. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *midjagardaz
17. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 264