*spil

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *spil for Proto-West Germanic,^[1] and EWA likewise traces the attested words to West Germanic *spil-a-.^[2] EWA finds the word in the North Germanic languages only as a loan from Middle Low German.^[2]

Etymology

Köbler sets up Proto-Germanic *spila, *spilam, of unknown origin, on the evidence of Old Frisian, Old Dutch, Old Saxon and Old High German.^[3]

Morphology

A neuter a-stem.^[2][4]

Evidence

The noun is attested in Old Frisian spil, Old Saxon spil, Old Dutch spil and Old High German spil.^[2] Old High German has it from the 9th century, in glosses, Otfrid and Notker.^[2] The Old Dutch form glosses Latin ludicra and feriae in the North-East Lower Rhenish Prudentius glosses of 951–1000.^[5] Old English has no noun of this form, but it has the derived verb Old English spilian (“to play”), beside Old Frisian spilia and Old Saxon and Old High German spilōn.^[6]

Competing analyses

The origin is unknown.^[6][3] Wiktionary reports a comparison with a Latvian verb meaning "to pinch, to clamp", which it finds semantically unconvincing.^[1] Berr takes the original meaning to be "dance", movement in different directions, and suggests a possible link with words for "shake, move to and fro", from a root *(s)pel-, comparing Latin pellō.^[7]

Meanings

1. dance^[1][7]
2. game, exercise^[1]

Köbler glosses the Proto-Germanic form "play, dance".^[3] Old Saxon used the word for "play, movement, music",^[4] Old Frisian for "music" and "play, an activity for entertainment",^[8] and Old High German also for "jest, spectacle, musical instrument".^[2]

Derivatives

• *spilōn "to play, to dance", which Wiktionary reconstructs from the noun with the suffix *-ōn;^[9] it is continued by Old English spilian, Old Saxon spilōn (“to move, to dance”) and Old High German spilōn.^[10][11]

Reflexes

• Old Frisian: spil (“music, play”)^[8]
• Old Saxon: spil (“play, movement, music”)^[4]
• Old Dutch: spil (“play, entertainment”)^[5]
• Old High German: spil (“play, pastime, jest, dance, spectacle”)^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *spil
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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. spil
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *spila
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. spil
5. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. spil
6. ^ a b Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. spilian
7. ^ a b Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. 373
8. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. spil
9. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *spilōn
10. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. spilōn
11. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. spilian