Where does “vågehval” come from?
vågehval (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Danish våge, from Old Danish waghæ, from Old Norse vaka, from Proto-Germanic wakāną, from Proto-Indo-European weǵ- — lively, awake; strong.
vågehval (Norwegian Bokmål): a minke whale
Ancestry of “vågehval”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Danish | våge | opening in the ice, polynya; buzzard; any bird of... |
| 2 | Old Danish | waghæ | — |
| 3 | Old Norse | vaka | to be awake, keep awake; waking; vigil |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wakāną | to wake, to be awake |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | weǵ- | lively, awake; strong |