Where does “willekōmen” come from?
willekōmen (Middle Low German) comes from Old Saxon *willikumo, from Proto-West Germanic *willjakwemō, from Proto-Germanic *wiljakwemô, from Proto-Germanic wiljaną, from Proto-Indo-European wélyoyt, from Proto-Indo-European wélyeti, from Proto-Indo-European welh₁- — to choose; to want.
Ancestry of “willekōmen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Saxon | *willikumo | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *willjakwemō | a wished-for guest or arrival |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | *wiljakwemô | A wished-for guest or arrival |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wiljaną | to want |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wélyoyt | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wélyeti | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | welh₁- | to choose; to want |