Where does “bōkstaver” come from?
bōkstaver (Old Swedish) comes from Old Norse bókstafr, from Proto-Germanic bōkastabaz, from Proto-Germanic stabaz, from Proto-Indo-European stebʰ- — to stand still; to harden.
Ancestry of “bōkstaver”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | bókstafr | a letter of the alphabet |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | bōkastabaz | a staff made of beechwood; letter of the alphabet |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | stabaz | staff, stick |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | stebʰ- | to stand still; to harden |