*reht

*reht¹ straight, right, just

Etymology tree of *reht¹

inherited borrowed derived

Proto-Germanic *rehtaz

German recht

Old Norse réttr

Proto-West Germanic *reht

From the same root · *reht¹

German rechts ← *rehtaz

Reconstruction

Ringe and Taylor reconstruct the adjective *reht for Proto-West Germanic,^[1] and Wiktionary has the same form.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *rehtaz (“right, straight”),^[1][3] which Kroonen and Heidermanns cite by its stem *rehta-, and Köbler as *rehta-, *rehtaz.^[3][4][5]

Morphology

An adjective,^[3] an a-stem in Old High German.^[6] Heidermanns counts it among the primary adjectives.^[4]

Evidence

The adjective is attested in all the West Germanic languages: Old Frisian riucht, Old Saxon reht and Old High German reht,^[1] Old English riht,^[7] and Old Dutch reht in the Old Low Franconian psalms of the 9th century.^[8] In Old High German it is recorded from the last quarter of the 8th century.^[6] In Old English *reht became *reoht, then early West Saxon riht, which survives here and there in rihtwīs (“righteous”), and later ryht.^[1] Old Frisian riucht shows the breaking of e before χt.^[9][10]

Meanings

1. straight^[2][7]
2. right, correct^[1][2]
3. just, morally upright^[2]

Old English also used the adjective for "lawful" and "fitting",^[7] and Old Frisian for "lawful" and "honest".^[11]

Derivatives

• *rihtijan "to straighten, to direct", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[12] Holthausen sets Old English rihtan (“to correct, to guide, to set up”) beside Old Frisian riuchta, Old Saxon rihtian and Old High German rihten.^[13]
• *rehtalīk "just, lawful", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[14] Köbler's *rehtalīka- lists Old English rihtlic, Old Frisian riuchtlik and Old Dutch rehtlīk.^[15]

Reflexes

• Old English: riht (“right, correct, straight, just, lawful”)^[7]
• Old Frisian: riucht (“right, lawful, just, honest, true”)^[11]
• Old Saxon: reht (“right, just”)^[16]
• Old Dutch: reht (“right, just”)^[8]
• Old High German: reht (“right, just, correct, straight, true”)^[17]

*reht² right, privilege

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs a noun *reht "right, privilege".^[18]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *rehtą (“right, privilege”),^[2] which Köbler cites as *rehta-, *rehtam.^[18] Wiktionary derives the Proto-Germanic noun from the adjective *rehtaz.^[19]

Morphology

A neuter a-stem.^[20][21][22]

Evidence

The noun is attested as Old English riht,^[21] Old Frisian riucht,^[11] Old Saxon reht,^[20] Old Dutch reht in the Old Low Franconian psalms of the 9th century,^[23] and Old High German reht, already in the Abrogans.^[22] Holthausen treats the Old English noun under the adjective.^[7]

Meanings

1. right, privilege^[2]

Old English also used the noun for "justice", "law" and "duty",^[21] Old Saxon for "entitlement" and "jurisdiction",^[20] and Old Frisian for "law", "penalty" and "court".^[11]

Reflexes

• Old English: riht (“right, justice, law, duty”)^[21]
• Old Frisian: riucht (“right, law, entitlement, penalty, court”)^[11]
• Old Saxon: reht (“justice, law, entitlement, duty”)^[20]
• Old Dutch: reht (“justice”)^[23]
• Old High German: reht (“right, justice, law, duty”)^[24]