Where does “Ostdeutschland” come from?
Ostdeutschland (German) comes from German Deutschland, from Middle High German Diutschlant, from Middle High German diutsc, from Old High German diutisc, from Proto-West Germanic þiudisk, from Proto-Germanic þiudiskaz, from Proto-Germanic þeudō, from Proto-Indo-European tewtéh₂ — to swell; to crowd; to be strong.
Ancestry of “Ostdeutschland”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | German | Deutschland | Germany above all, above all in the world;... |
| 2 | Middle High German | Diutschlant | — |
| 3 | Middle High German | diutsc | — |
| 4 | Old High German | diutisc | Alternative form of diutisk; popular, vernacular;... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | þiudisk | of the people, popular, vernacular |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | þiudiskaz | of the people, popular; of the tribe |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | þeudō | people, tribe |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | tewtéh₂ | people, tribe |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | tewh₂- | to swell; to crowd; to be strong |