Where does “skerp” come from?
skerp (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch scherp, from Middle Dutch scharp, from Old Dutch skarp, from Proto-Germanic skarpaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kerb-, from Proto-Indo-European sḱer- — to caw, crow.
skerp (Afrikaans): sharp
Ancestry of “skerp”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | scherp | sharp, able to cut easily; alert, on the ball;... |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | scharp | sharp; rough, harsh to the skin; fierce, intense |
| 3 | Old Dutch | skarp | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | skarpaz | rough |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kerb- | rough, sharp |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱer- | to caw, crow |