*wār

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs the adjective *wār "true, reliable" for Proto-West Germanic.^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *wēraz (“true”),^[1][2] which Köbler sets up as *wēra-, *wērja-,^[3] and Boutkan and Siebinga as *wē₁ra-.^[4]

Morphology

An adjective.^[5][6] Orel takes Old High German wāri (“true”) for a separate ja-stem, *wērjaz, derived from *wēraz.^[2] Old Saxon and Old High German also have a neuter noun meaning "truth".^[7][6]

Evidence

The adjective is found in all the West Germanic languages: Old English wǣr,^[8] Old Frisian wēr,^[9] Old Saxon wār^[10] and Old High German wār.^[6] In Old Dutch, ONW records the adjective Old Dutch wār in the Middle Franconian Rhyme Bible of 1151–1200,^[11] and the Old Low Franconian Psalms of the 9th century have the derivative wārheid (“truth”).^[12]

Meanings

1. true, reliable^[1]

Old Frisian also used the word for "truthful", "real" and "valid".^[9]

Derivatives

• *wārafast "faithful, reliable", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[13] Old Saxon has wārfast (“truthful”).^[10]
• *wāragangijō "foreigner seeking protection", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[14] Orel sets up Proto-Germanic *wēra-ʒanʒjōn for Old English wergenga (“stranger who seeks protection”) and Lombard ware-gang.^[2]
• *wārijan "to prove", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[15] Boutkan and Siebinga list Old Frisian wēria and Old Saxon giwāron under the related Proto-Germanic verb.^[4]

Reflexes

• Old English: wǣr (“true”)^[8]
• Old Frisian: wēr (“true, truthful, real, valid”)^[9]
• Old Saxon: wār (“true”)^[5]
• Old Dutch: wār (“true”)^[11]
• Old High German: wār (“true, real, right, certain”)^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *wār
2. ^ a b c Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 461
3. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *wēra-
4. ^ a b Boutkan, Dirk; Siebinga, Sjoerd Michiel (2005), Old Frisian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 1, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. wer
5. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. wār
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. wār
7. ^ Tiefenbach, Heinrich (2010), Altsächsisches Handwörterbuch / A Concise Old Saxon Dictionary, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter, p. s.v. war
8. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. wǣr
9. ^ a b c Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. wēr
10. ^ a b Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. s.v. war
11. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. wār
12. ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Altniederfränkisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. wārheid
13. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *wārafast
14. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *wāragangijō
15. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *wārijan