Where does “swardspeak” come from?
swardspeak (English) comes from English speak, from Middle English speke, from Old English specan, from Old English sprecan, from Proto-West Germanic *sprekan, from Proto-Germanic sprekaną, from Proto-Indo-European spreg- — to make a sound, speak; to make a sound, utter,...
swardspeak (English): gayspeak
Definitions
- gayspeak
Ancestry of “swardspeak”, step by step
swardspeak traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English speak
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | speak | To communicate with one's voice, to say words out... |
| 2 | Middle English | speke | — |
| 3 | Old English | specan | Alternative form of sprecan; to speak |
| 4 | Old English | sprecan | to speak, talk |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *sprekan | to speak |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | sprekaną | to speak, to make a noise |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | spreg- | to make a sound, speak; to make a sound, utter,... |
via English sward
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sward | A layer of earth into which grass has grown;... |
| 2 | English | sword | A long-bladed weapon with a hilt, and usually a... |
| 3 | Middle English | sword | sword, sabre; Military might or power |
| 4 | Old English | sword | Alternative form of sweord |
| 5 | Old English | sweord | a sword |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | swerdą | sword |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | swēr- | heavy |