Where does “wel” come from?
wel (Westrobothnian) comes from Old Norse væla, from Old Norse væ, from Proto-Germanic wai, from Proto-Indo-European wai — oh!; woe!.
wel (Westrobothnian): to cry, to wail
Ancestry of “wel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | væla | to wail |
| 2 | Old Norse | væ | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wai | woe! alas! |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | wai | oh!; woe! |