Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/þullaz

This Proto-Germanic 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-Germanic

Etymology

Unknown. Comparisons to Ancient Greek τύλος (túlos, “callus; knot; knob; trenail”), τύλη (túlē, “callus; hump; pad, cushion”), Proto-Slavic *tylъ, Lithuanian tulis (“axle nail”) are prone to coincidence. Looking particularly on Sanskrit तूल (tūla, “tuft of grass or reeds”) to which those words are put one would like to see a relation with German Tolle, Dolle (“tuft of hair”) and the related Dolde (“corymb”) understanding English rowlock as not from lock (“closing implement”) but lock (“tuft of hair”) but this is likewise easily coincidental.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθul.lɑz/

Noun

*þullaz m

1. thole, rowlock

Inflection

masculine a-stemDeclension of *þullaz (masculine a-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*þullaz	*þullōz, *þullōs
vocative	*þull	*þullōz, *þullōs
accusative	*þullą	*þullanz
genitive	*þullas, *þullis	*þullǫ̂
dative	*þullai	*þullamaz
instrumental	*þullō	*þullamiz

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *þoll
  • Old English: þol, þoll
    • Middle English: thole
      • English: thole
      • → Irish: dola
  • Old Frisian: tholl
  • Old Saxon: *tholl
    • Middle Low German: dulle, dolle
      • Low German: Doll, Dull
      • → German: Dolle
  • Old Dutch: *tholl
    • Middle Dutch: dolle
      • Dutch: dol
  • → Old French: *toll
    • ⇒ Old French: *tollet
      • Middle French: tollet
        •  French: tolet (see there for further descendants)
• Old Norse: þollr
  • Icelandic: þollur
  • Danish: toll
  • Swedish: tull
  • Norwegian: toll

Further reading

• “Dolle” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “tolet”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.