*skūm

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *skūm "froth, foam" for Proto-West Germanic,^[1] and EWA a West Germanic *skūma(n)-.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *skūmaz (“foam”),^[1] which Köbler cites as *skūma-, *skūmaz and Orel as *skuman.^[3][4]

Morphology

A masculine noun;^[2] EWA notes that the Old High German records do not show its stem class for certain.^[2]

Evidence

Of the old West Germanic languages only Old High German records the word, as Old High German skūm in glosses from the 11th century, while EWA cites only later forms from the other languages;^[2][5] Wiktionary's Old Frisian, Old Saxon and Old Dutch forms are unattested reconstructions.^[1] These later forms include Middle Low German schûm, early Middle Dutch scume and the modern Frisian words.^[2] Middle Dutch schom (“foam, moss”) seems to continue a variant with a short vowel, *skuma-.^[2] Gamillscheg derives French écume, Old French escume of the 11th century, from a crossing of Latin spūma (“foam”) with Frankish *skūm (“foam”).^[6]

Competing analyses

The North Germanic words are often taken for loans from Middle Low German;^[2] EWA allows that they may be inherited, the short -u- being a later shortening before m.^[2] Middle English scome is a loan from Middle Dutch or Old French.^[2]

Meanings

1. froth, foam^[1][2]

Derivatives

• *skūmijan "to foam", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[7] Old High German has skūmen in Tatian and in an 11th-century gloss.^[8]

Reflexes

• Old High German: skūm (“foam, spray”)^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *skūm
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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. skûm
3. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *skūma-
4. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 345
5. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. skūm
6. ^ Gamillscheg, Ernst (1966–1969), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der französischen Sprache, 2nd, fully revised ed., Heidelberg: Winter, p. 374
7. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *skūmijan
8. ^ 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. skûmen