Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-u
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Proto-Germanic[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Possibly from Pre-Germanic *-we, from Proto-Indo-European *-wē, which would make it cognate to Latin -ve, Ancient Greek ἤ (ḗ), Tocharian B wa and Sanskrit वा (vā).
Pronunciation[edit]
Particle[edit]
*-u
- Added to the end of a word in a phrase (usually the first word) to make it a question.
Usage notes[edit]
This suffix was used when asking yes/no questions or, based on Gothic usage, to present a binary choice between two options. It was attached to the first word in a clause. If the first word was a compound or had a prefix, this suffix was infixed after the first part of a compound or after the prefix, effectively splitting the word in two.