Where does “swak” come from?
swak (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch zwak, from Middle Dutch swac, from Old Dutch swak, from Proto-West Germanic swak, from Proto-Indo-European swe(n)g-.
swak (Afrikaans): weak
Ancestry of “swak”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | zwak | weak; shabby; soft spot |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | swac | — |
| 3 | Old Dutch | swak | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | swak | swinging; swaying; yielding easily; pliable; weak |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | swe(n)g- | — |