Where does “shall” come from?
Shall derives from Middle English schal, Old English sċeal, Proto-West Germanic skulan, Proto-Germanic skulaną, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European kel-, a root meaning to owe or be obligated.
shall (English): "I shall sing in the choir tomorrow"; "I hope...
Definitions
- "I shall sing in the choir tomorrow"; "I hope...
Ancestry of “shall”, step by step
shall traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English schal
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | schal | — |
| 2 | Old English | sċeal | — |
| 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- | to be obligated, owe |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelh₁- | to warm up, to be hot; to warm up, be hot |