Where does “zal” come from?
zal (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch sullen, from Old Dutch sulan, from Proto-West Germanic skulan, from Proto-Germanic skulaną, from Proto-Indo-European sḱel-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₁- — to warm up, to be hot; to warm up, be hot.
Ancestry of “zal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | sullen | must, to have to; may, be allowed to; will,... |
| 2 | Old Dutch | sulan | to owe; must; will, shall; forms the future tense |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | skulan | to owe, to be obliged |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | skulaną | to owe; to be obliged to, have to; shall, will,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sḱel- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelh₁- | to warm up, to be hot; to warm up, be hot |