*swart

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs the adjective *swart "black" for Proto-West Germanic.^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *swartaz (“black”),^[2][3] which Heidermanns cites by its stem *swarta- and EWA as *su̯arta-.^[4][5] Ringe and Taylor trace Old English sweart from Proto-Germanic *swartaz through *swært, among their examples of breaking before r and a consonant.^[2]

Morphology

An adjective, which Heidermanns includes among the Germanic primary adjectives.^[4] Old Saxon also used it as a neuter noun, "darkness".^[6][7]

Evidence

The adjective is attested in all the West Germanic languages: Old English sweart, Old Frisian swart, Old Saxon swart, Old Dutch swart and Old High German swarz.^[5][3] Old Frisian also has the form ⟨swert⟩.^[8] Old Dutch has ⟨suarz⟩ in Williram's commentary of 1100, and ⟨suarze⟩ "dark-skinned" in the Middle Franconian Rhyme Bible.^[9] In Old High German the adjective is recorded from the late 8th century.^[5]

Meanings

1. black^[2][1]

Old English also used the adjective for "dark, gloomy" and "evil",^[10] Old Frisian for "dark-coloured, bloodshot" and "malicious",^[8] and Old Saxon for "dark-coloured, gloomy".^[6]

Derivatives

• *swartēn "to become black", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[11] Orel sets up Proto-Germanic *swartēnan for the Old High German verb,^[3] and Köbler gives it as Old High German swarzēn (“to become black”).^[12]
• *swartijan "to make black", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[13] Köbler sets up Proto-Germanic *swartjan for Old High German swerzen (“to blacken, to darken”).^[14]

Reflexes

• Old English: sweart (“black, dark, gloomy, evil”)^[10]
• Old Frisian: swart (“black, dark-coloured, malicious”)^[8]
• Old Saxon: swart (“black, dark-coloured, gloomy”)^[6]
• Old Dutch: swart (“black”)^[9]
• Old High German: swarz (“black, dark-coloured”)^[5]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *swart
2. ^ a b c Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 180
3. ^ a b c Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 392
4. ^ a b Heidermanns, Frank (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der germanischen Primäradjektive, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter, p. s.v. swarta-
5. ^ a b c d 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. swarz
6. ^ a b c Tiefenbach, Heinrich (2010), Altsächsisches Handwörterbuch / A Concise Old Saxon Dictionary, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter, p. s.v. swart
7. ^ Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. 389
8. ^ a b c Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. swart
9. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. swart
10. ^ a b Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. sweart
11. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *swartēn
12. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *swartēn
13. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *swartijan
14. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *swartjan