Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/erwā

This Proto-Celtic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Celtic

Etymology

Possibly related to Hittite 𒅕𒄩𒀸 (er-ḫa-aš /⁠erḫaš⁠/, “line, boundary”), Latin ōra, perhaps all from Proto-Indo-European *h₁erh₂- (“border, line”).

Noun

*erwā f

1. plot of land
2. field

Inflection

Feminine ā-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*erwā	*erwai	*erwās
vocative	*erwā	*erwai	*erwās
accusative	*erwam	*erwai	*erwāms
genitive	*erwās	*erwous	*erwom
dative	*erwāi	*erwābom	*erwābos
locative	*erwai	*?	*?
instrumental	*?	*erwābim	*erwābis

Reconstruction notes

• Zair favours *erwā over *arwī because otherwise he would expect **eirw in Welsh, not *erw.

Descendants

• Proto-Brythonic: *erw
  • Middle Breton: eru (“furrow”)
    • Breton: erv
  • Old Cornish: ereu, erw
    • Middle Cornish: erw
  • Middle Welsh: erw
    • Welsh: erw