*werpan

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs the infinitive *werpan.^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *werpaną (“to throw”),^[2][1] which Kroonen cites by its stem *werpan-^[3] and Orel as *werpanan.^[4] Ringe and Taylor give it as an example of *e before ⟨r⟩ and a consonant, broken to ⟨eo⟩ in Old English weorpan, beside Old Frisian werpa.^[2]

Morphology

A strong verb of class III.^[5][6] Orel derives from it the Proto-Germanic nouns *warpan, continued by Old English wearp (“warp”), Old Saxon warp and Old High German warf, and *werpaz, continued by Old English geweorp (“throwing”), Old Frisian werp (“throw”) and Old High German giwerf (“contribution”).^[7][4]

Evidence

The verb is found in all the West Germanic languages: Old English weorpan, Old Frisian werpa, Old Saxon werpan and Old High German werfan.^[2][8] Old Dutch has werpan in the Psalms of the 10th century and in Williram's commentary of 1100.^[9] Findell gives it as an example of the affrication of *p after a sonorant in Upper German, ⟨werpfan⟩, against the Old Saxon form without affrication.^[10] ONW also lists the form *werpan that the FEW sets up as the source of Old French guerpir.^[9]

Meanings

1. to throw^[2][1]

Old Frisian also used the verb for "to throw at", "to decide by lot" and, with up, "to bring a suit against",^[11] and Old High German also for "to scatter", "to drive out" and "to reproach".^[12]

Derivatives

• *frawerpan "to throw away, to reject", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[13] Köbler lists the prefixed verb in Old English, Old Frisian, Old Dutch, Old Saxon and Old High German.^[14]
• *uʀwerpan "to throw out, to expel", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[15] Old Frisian has urwerpa^[11] and Old Saxon āwerpan (“to stone to death”).^[16]
• *gawerpan "to throw", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[17] Köbler lists the prefixed verb in Gothic, Old English and Old High German.^[18]

Reflexes

• Old English: weorpan (“to throw, to fling”)^[19]
• Old Frisian: werpa (“to throw, to decide by lot”)^[11]
• Old Saxon: werpan (“to throw”)^[5]
• Old Dutch: werpan (“to throw”)^[9]
• Old High German: werfan (“to throw, to scatter, to hurl”)^[12]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *werpan
2. ^ a b c d Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 182
3. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 581
4. ^ a b Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 457
5. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. werpan
6. ^ Boutkan, Dirk; Siebinga, Sjoerd Michiel (2005), Old Frisian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 1, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. werpa
7. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 450
8. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. weorpan
9. ^ a b c Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. werpan
10. ^ Findell, Martin (2012), Phonological Evidence from the Continental Runic Inscriptions, Ergänzungsbände zum Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde 79, Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter
11. ^ a b c Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. werpa
12. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. werfan
13. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *frawerpan
14. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *farwerpan
15. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *uʀwerpan
16. ^ Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. s.v. werpan
17. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *gawerpan
18. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *gawerpan
19. ^ Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. weorpan