JOURNAL ARTICLE

To die is 'to run (away)': The semantics of Proto-Germanic *daw-ja- 'to run; to die' from a historical and comparative perspective.

  • Published In: NOWELE: North-Western European Language Evolution, 2024, v. 77, n. 2. P. 87 1 of 3

  • Database: Communication Source 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Ginevra, Riccardo 3 of 3

Abstract

Proto-Germanic *daw-ja-, the ultimate source of English to die, is here argued to have originally been a polysemous verb meaning 'to run; to die', corroborating its current etymological analysis as a reflex of the Proto-Indo-European root *dheu̯- 'to run'. The proposal is supported by both well-known and previously unnoticed reflexes of the verb *daw-ja-in Gothic, Old Icelandic, and Old English, as well as by further Germanic lexical items and figurative expressions. Further support is provided by a series of semantic parallels in several Indo-European traditions, which, together with the Germanic material, reflect a well-known conceptual metaphor rooted in universal human cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:NOWELE: North-Western European Language Evolution. 2024/07, Vol. 77, Issue 2, p87
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Language and Linguistics
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0108-8416
  • DOI:10.1075/nowele.00086.gin
  • Accession Number:181468775
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of NOWELE: North-Western European Language Evolution is the property of John Benjamins Publishing Co. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.