sper-2(g-)

    sper-2(g-)

    English meaning: a kind of bird (sparrow?)

    Deutsche Übersetzung: in Vogelnamen, besonders ‘sperling”

    Material: Goth. sparwa, O.E. spearwa, O.H.G. sparo ‘sparrow” (*Proto-Gmc. *sparwan-); M.H.G. sperlinc Ger.Sperling, diminutive; O.Ice. spǫrr ds. from *sparwa-z, compare also Ger. Sperber, O.H.G. sparwü̆ ri (Endglied after O.H.G. aro “ eagle “ transfigured?); Gk. σπαράσιον ὄρνεον ἐμφερες στρουθῶ Hes. (*σπαρFn̥-ti̯om); das formantische u̯ also (??) in Gk. ψά̄ρ, Ion. ep. ψήρ (Hom. acc. pl. ψῆρας), gen. ψᾱρός ‘star” (originally *ψά̄ρF-ς, gen. *ψαρFός?), newer ψά̆ρος, ψᾱρος, ψᾶρος m. ds., ψᾱρός ‘stargrau”; in addition probably O.S. sprü, Dutch spreeuw, N.Fris.sprian, M.L.G. sprēn, nd. (Ger.) sprehe ‘star”; Corn. frau, Bret. frâo “crow” (*sprawü); daß Lat. parra “ein bird, dessen Geschrei Unglũckbedeutete”, Umbr. parfam, parfa “parram” (*parsa) ein s-loser kinsman, relative sei, is quite dubious; Toch. A spürüñ “ein bird”; forms auf g: Gk. PN ΢ποργίλος ‘sparrow”, (σ)πέργουλος ὀρνιθάριον ἄγριον Hes.; O.H.G. sperk, sperch, spirch ‘sparrow”, O.Pruss. spergla-wanag[is] ‘sperber” (eig. ‘sperlingsgeier”), ablaut. spurglis m. ‘sparrow”.

    References: WP. II 666 f., WH. II 257, Trautmann 275.