Where does “Ostasien” come from?
Ostasien (German) comes from German Osten, from Old High German ostan, from Proto-Germanic austrą, from Proto-Germanic austraz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsteros — in the direction of dawn, east.
Ancestry of “Ostasien”, step by step
Ostasien traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German Osten
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Osten | East; The territory of the former GDR |
| 2 | Old High German | ostan | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | austrą | east; east, eastward |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | austraz | east, eastern |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | *h₂éwsteros | in the direction of dawn, east |
via German Asien
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Asien | Asia |