Where does “querken” come from?
querken (Middle English) comes from Old Norse kvirkja, from Proto-Germanic kwirkijaną, from Proto-Germanic kwerkō, from Proto-Indo-European gʷerh₃- — to swallow, devour, eat.
Ancestry of “querken”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | kvirkja | to strangle |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | kwirkijaną | to strangle |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | kwerkō | throat |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷerh₃- | to swallow, devour, eat |