Where does “Amtssprache” come from?

Amtssprache (German) comes from German amt, from Middle High German ambahte, from Old High German ambahti, from Proto-Germanic ambahtaz, from Gaulish ambaxtos, from Proto-Celtic ambaxtos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- — to drive.

Amtssprache (German): official language

Definitions

  1. official language

Ancestry of “Amtssprache”, step by step

Amtssprache traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German amt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanamtagency; department; office state institution responsible for specified concerns
2Middle High Germanambahte
3Old High Germanambahtiposition, office
4Proto-Germanicambahtazservant
5Gaulishambaxtosvassal, high-ranking servant
6Proto-Celticambaxtosservant
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive

via German sprāche

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germansprāchelanguage body of words, and set of methods of combining them
2Middle High Germansprāche
3Old High Germansprāhha
4Proto-West Germanic*sprākuspeech, language
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-Every word from Proto-Celtic ambaxtosEvery word from Gaulish ambaxtos