Cognate Set 851 – Meaning: back

IE-CoR reference form:
*u̯ert-
IE-CoR reference language:
Proto-Indo-European
Ideophonic:
no
Parallel derivation:
no
Justification:
Romance lexemes continuing Latin dorsum 'back' (Meyer-Lübke 1935:247). The etymology as though from Latin *dē-uorsum is based on a popular etymology from Festus, but there are no better suggestions. If so, then the lexemes continue a derivative of PIE *u̯ert- 'to turn around' (Ernout & Meillet 1985:184, de Vaan 2008:180, 667).
Found in clades:
Italic
Revised by:
Matthew Scarborough
Found in 1 clade by 4 lexemes.
Language Lexeme Native script Phonetic Phonemic Notes
136   French dos do do
135   Anglo-Norman dos
138   Old Occitan dos, dors dors is an older form
140   Old Catalan dos / dors dɔs dɔs
References
  • Ernout, Alfred and Meillet, Antoine: 184
    S.v. dorsum, -ī 'le bossu, le gros dos', the etymology conjectured by P. F. 60,18 'dorsum dictum qui pars ea corporis deuexa sit deorsum' is no doubt a popular etymology, but there are no better suggestions.
  • Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm: 247
    S.v. 2755 Lat. dorsum 'Rücken', 2. dossum.
  • de Vaan, Michiel: 180, 667
    S.v. Lat. dorsum 'the back, a ridge', a compound of dē- 'away from' and versus 'turned towards', i.e. *dē-worsum 'turned away from' > *dēorsum > deorsum > dorsum, as Paul. ex F. considered. In the sense 'the turned away part'; Lat. versus 'turned towards' from PIE *u̯ert- 'to turn around' (cf. s.v. ve/ortō, -ere 'to turn around').