Where does “målsprog” come from?

målsprog (Danish) comes from Danish mål, from Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic mēlą, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

målsprog (Danish): target language

Definitions

  1. target language

Ancestry of “målsprog”, step by step

målsprog traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish mål

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishmållanguage; imperative of måle; goal
2Old Norsemállanguage; speech; matter, affair
3Proto-Germanicmēląmeasure, measurement; time, occasion; point in...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

via Danish sprog

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishsproglanguage
2Middle Low Germansprāke—
3Old Saxonsprākaspeech
4Proto-West Germanic*sprākuspeech, language
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European mel- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European melh₂- →