Where does “וואַל” come from?

וואַל (Yiddish) comes from Polish wał, from German wal, from Middle High German wal, from Old High German wal, from Proto-West Germanic hwal, from Proto-Germanic hwalaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos — large fish; sheatfish.

וואַל (Yiddish): selection

Definitions

  1. selection

Ancestry of “וואַל”, step by step

וואַל traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Polish wał

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Polishwałlevee; embankment; shaft
2Germanwalwhale
3Middle High Germanwala whale
4Old High Germanwalbattlefield
5Proto-West Germanichwalwhale
6Proto-Germanichwalazwhale, sheatfish
7Proto-Indo-European(s)kʷáloslarge fish; sheatfish

via Russian вал

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianвалbillow, roller; barrage fire; rampart
2Old East Slavicвалъ—
3Proto-Slavicvalъroll, slump, downturn
4Proto-Indo-EuropeanwēlH-to roll, to undulate
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanwelH-to turn, to wind

via Middle High German wale

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanwale—
2Old High Germanwalachoice
3Proto-West Germanicwaluchoice, selection
4Proto-Germanicwalōdesire, choice; choice, will
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwelh₁-to choose; to want

Words derived from “וואַל”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos →