Where does “Södermalm” come from?
Södermalm (Swedish) comes from Swedish malm, from Old Norse malmr, from Proto-Germanic malmaz, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
Ancestry of “Södermalm”, step by step
Södermalm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Swedish malm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | malm | ore; an alloy consisting of copper, zinc, lead... |
| 2 | Old Norse | malmr | ore, metal |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | malmaz | sand; ore |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |