Where does “hvalvákn” come from?

hvalvákn (Faroese) comes from Faroese hvalur, from Old Norse hvalr, from Proto-Germanic hwalaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos — large fish; sheatfish.

hvalvákn (Faroese): A spear formerly used for whale hunting on the Faroe Islands but now illegal to use

Definitions

  1. A spear formerly used for whale hunting on the Faroe Islands but now illegal to use

Ancestry of “hvalvákn”, step by step

hvalvákn traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Faroese hvalur

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Faroesehvalurwhale; cetacean
2Old Norsehvalrwhale
3Proto-Germanichwalazwhale, sheatfish
4Proto-Indo-European(s)kʷáloslarge fish; sheatfish

via Faroese vákn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Faroeseváknwhaling lance
2Old Norsevápnweapon
3Proto-Germanicwēpnąweapon
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwēbnom—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwalaz →Every word from Old Norse hvalr →