Where does “Pottwal” come from?
Pottwal (German) comes from Old Dutch potswal, from Proto-Germanic hwalaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos — large fish; sheatfish.
Pottwal (German): sperm whale
Ancestry of “Pottwal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Dutch | potswal | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | hwalaz | whale, sheatfish |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kʷálos | large fish; sheatfish |