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Population genetic studies have provided incontrovertible evidence that ancient Germanic culture and ethnicity arose from the fusion of the Mesolithic inhabitants of Scandinavia (linked to Y-DNA haplogroup I1) and Indo-European people (associated with haplogroups R1a and R1b). Although the bulk of Germanic words have an Indo-European origin, a substantial number of fundamental vocabulary appears to be non-Indo-European, most probably inherited from the indigenous pre-Bronze-Age inhabitants of Scandinavia and/or North Germany. Sigmund Feist was the first to postulate this Germanic substrate hypothesis in 1932. Here are examples of pre-IE words in Germanic languages. Words in brackets are Indo-European. Note that some words derived from the same root have acquired different meanings in various Germanic languages.
Animals
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Modern English
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Old English
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Dutch
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German
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Old High German
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Old Norse
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Proto-Germanic
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Proto-Indo-European
|
|
bear
|
bera
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beer
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Bär
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bero
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björn
|
*beron
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(*rtko)
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bull
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bula
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bul
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Bulle
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boli
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*bullon
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(*tauros)
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boar
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bar
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beer
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(Keiler)
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ber
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|
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(*tworkos)
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carp
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karper
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Karpfen
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karpfo
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(*kophelos)
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chicken
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cicen
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kuiken/kieken
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Küken
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kjuklingr
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dog (hound)
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docga
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(hond)
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(Hund)
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(hunt)
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(hundr)
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(*hundas)
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(*kuntos)
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dove
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dufe
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duif
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Taube
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dufa
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tuba
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*dubon
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|
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eel
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æl
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aal
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Aal
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al
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all
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ælaz
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|
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horse
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hors
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ros
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Roß
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hros
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hross
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*hursa
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(*gheyos, *hekwos)
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lamb
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lamb
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lam
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Lamm
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lamb
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lamb
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*lambaz
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(*heg[w]hnos)
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lark
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lawerce
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leeuwerik
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Lerche
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lævirik
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*laiw(a)rikon
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|
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ram
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ramm
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ram
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(Schafbock)
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ram
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|
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sheep
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sceap
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schaap
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Schaf
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scaf
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|
|
|
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stork
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storc
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(ooievaar)
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Storch
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storah
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storkr
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*sturkaz
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|
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toad / paddock
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tadige
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pad
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(Kröte)
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padda
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Plants
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Modern English
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Old English
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Dutch
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German
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Old High German
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Old Norse
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Proto-Germanic
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Proto-Indo-European
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berry
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berie
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bere (M.Du.)
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Beere
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ber
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*basjom
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(*h[a]ogeh[a], *dhreghes-)
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leek
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læc
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look
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Lauch
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louh
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laukr
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*lauka
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oak
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ac
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eik
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Eiche
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eih
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eik
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*aiks
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(*perk[w]us)
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oat
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ate
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(haver)
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(Hafer)
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(hafri)
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(*khabran)
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(*h[a]ewis)
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reed
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hreod
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riet
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Riet
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hriot
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*khreudom
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(*nedos, *yoinis)
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weed
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weod
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wieden
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*weud
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Body parts
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Modern English
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Old English
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Dutch
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German
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Old High German
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Old Norse
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Proto-Germanic
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Proto-Indo-European
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back
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bæc
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bak (M.Du.)
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(Rücken)
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*bakam
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(*hepo)
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body
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bodig
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(lichaam)
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(Körper)
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botah
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(*kreps)
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bone
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ban
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been
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Bein
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bein
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*bainam
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(*host)
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brain
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brægen
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brein
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(Gehirn)
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*bragnam
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(*mosghos)
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cheek
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ceace
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kaak
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(Backe)
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*kaukon
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finger
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fingor
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vinger
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Finger
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fingr
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*fingraz
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(*polik[o]s)
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leg
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(shank)
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been
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Bein
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leggr
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*lagjaz
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(sok[w]t)
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liver
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lifer
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lever
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Leber
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lebara
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lifr
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*librn
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|
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neck
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hnecca
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nek
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Nacken
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hnach
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hnakkr
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*khnekkon
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(*mono, *kolsos)
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shoulder
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sculdor
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schouder
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Schulter
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scultra
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*skuldro
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(*dous, homsos)
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skull
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schedel
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Schädel
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skalli
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toe
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ta
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teen
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Zehe
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zecha
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ta
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*taikhwo
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womb
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wamb
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wam
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Wamme
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wamba
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vomb
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*wambo
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Adjectives & Adverbs
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Modern English
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Old English
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Dutch
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German
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Old High German
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Old Norse
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Proto-Germanic
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Proto-Indo-European
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broad
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brad
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breed
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breit
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breiðr
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*braithaz
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dear
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deore
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duur
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teuer
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tiuri
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dyrr
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*deurjaz
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dim
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dimm
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deemster
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timber
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dimmr
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*dimbaz
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gray/grey
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græg
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grauw
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grau
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grao
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grar
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*grisja
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idle
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idel
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ijdel
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eitel
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ital
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narrow
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nearu
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nare (M.Du.)
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*narwaz
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shy
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sceoh
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schuw
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scheu
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sciuhen
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*skeukh(w)az
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Title, status, occupation
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Modern English
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Old English
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Dutch
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German
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Old High German
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Old Norse
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Proto-Germanic
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Proto-Indo-European
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bride
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bryd
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bruid
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Braut
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brut
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*bruthiz
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child
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cild
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kind
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Kind
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*kiltham
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king
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cyning
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koning
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König
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kuning
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konungr
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*kuninggaz
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(*reg)
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knight
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cniht
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knecht
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Knecht
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wife
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wif
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wijf
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Weib
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wib
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vif
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*wiban
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Construction, transports, materials & weapons
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Modern English
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Old English
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Dutch
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German
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Old High German
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Old Norse
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Proto-Germanic
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Proto-Indo-European
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bow (n.)
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boga
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boog
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Bogen
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bogi
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*bugon
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dam
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dam
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Damm
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dammr
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*dammaz
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gate
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geat
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gat
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Gasse
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gat
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*gatan
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house
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hus
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huis
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Haus
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hus
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*husan
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keel
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kiel
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Kiel
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kjölr
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*keluz
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keg
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kaggi
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lane
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lanu
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laan
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lön
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pack
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pak
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pakki
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path
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pæþ
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pad
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Pfad
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pfad
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*patha
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roof
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hrof
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roef
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(Dach)
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rof
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hrof
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*khrofaz
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sail
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segl
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zeil
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Segel
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segal
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segl
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*seglom
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|
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sea
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sæ
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zee
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See
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sær
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*saiwaz
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ship
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scip
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schip
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Schiff
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skif
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skip
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*skipam
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shoe
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scoh
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schoen
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Schuh
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scuoh
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skor
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*skokhaz
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silver
|
seolfor
|
zilver
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silber
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sillabar
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silfr
|
*silubra
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(*arg-ent)
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steel
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style
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staal
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Stahl
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stahal
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stal
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*stakhlijan
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|
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tin
|
tin
|
tin
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Zinn
|
zin
|
tin
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*tinom
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weapon
|
wæpen
|
wapen
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wafen
|
waffen
|
vapn
|
*wæpnan
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Miscellaneous
|
Modern English
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Old English
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Dutch
|
German
|
Old High German
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Old Norse
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Proto-Germanic
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Proto-Indo-European
|
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beacon
|
beacen
|
baken
|
(Leucht)bake
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bouhhan
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*baukna (W.Germ.)
|
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buy
|
bycgan
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*bugjanan
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begin
|
beginnan
|
beginnen
|
beginnen
|
beginnan
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*beginnan
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dream
|
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droom
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Traum
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troum
|
draumr
|
*draugmas (W.Germ.) ?
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|
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drink
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drincan
|
drinken
|
trinken
|
trinkan
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drekka
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*drengkan
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drive
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drifan
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drijven
|
treiben
|
triban
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drifa
|
*dribanan
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dwarf
|
dweorh
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dwerg
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Zwerg
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twerg
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dvegr
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*dweraz
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flee
|
fleon
|
vlieden
|
fliehen
|
flöja
|
fliohan
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*thleukhanan
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ground
|
grund
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grond
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Grund
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grunt
|
grunn
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*grundus
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ice
|
is
|
ijs
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Eis
|
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iss
|
*isa
|
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leap
|
hleapan
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lopen
|
laufen
|
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hlaupa
|
*khlaupan
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luck
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geluk
|
Glück
|
|
|
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mood
|
mod
|
moed
|
Mut
|
muot
|
moðr
|
*motha
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race
|
ræs
|
rasen
|
rasen
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ras
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*ræs
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scathe
|
skaða
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schaden
|
schaden
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scadon
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*skath
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shake
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sceacan
|
schokken
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schütteln
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skaka
|
*skakanan
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soul
|
sawol
|
ziel
|
Seele
|
seula
|
sala
|
*saiwalo
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start
|
steortian
|
storten
|
stürzen
|
sturzen
|
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*sturtjan
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steal
|
stelan
|
stelen
|
stehlen
|
stelan
|
stela
|
*stelanan
|
|
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steam
|
stymen
|
stoom
|
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*staumaz
|
|
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swell
|
swellan
|
zwellen
|
schwellen
|
swellan
|
svela
|
*swelnanan
|
|
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swallow
|
swelgan
|
zwelgen
|
schwelgen
|
swelahan
|
svelgja
|
*swelkh
|
|
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thing
|
þing
|
ding
|
ding
|
ding
|
þing
|
*thengan
|
|
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top
|
top
|
top
|
Zopf
|
zopf
|
toppr
|
*tupaz
|
|
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trend
|
trendan
|
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|
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*trandijanan
|
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wonder
|
wundor
|
wonder
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Wunder
|
wuntar
|
undr
|
*wundran
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