Where does “*walh” come from?
*walh (Proto-Germanic) comes from Proto-Germanic walhaz, from Latin Volcae, from Proto-Celtic wolkos, from Proto-Indo-European welg- — wet, damp.
Ancestry of “*walh”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Germanic | walhaz | foreigner, non-Germanic person |
| 2 | Latin | Volcae | a Gallic tribal confederation; name of a Celtic... |
| 3 | Proto-Celtic | wolkos | hawk |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | welg- | wet, damp |