Where does “björntjänst” come from?
björntjänst (Swedish) comes from Swedish björn, from Old Swedish biorn, from Old Norse bjǫrn, from Proto-Germanic bernuz — bear.
björntjänst (Swedish): a disservice, a mistaken kindness, a misguided...
Definitions
- a disservice, a mistaken kindness, a misguided...
Ancestry of “björntjänst”, step by step
björntjänst traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Swedish björn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | björn | a bear; bear |
| 2 | Old Swedish | biorn | bear (animal) |
| 3 | Old Norse | bjǫrn | bear |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | bernuz | bear |
via Swedish tjänst
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | tjänst | a service; a position, a job, an employment,... |
| 2 | Old Swedish | thienst | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | þewanōstaz | service |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | tekʷ- | to run, to flow |