ker-6 and k̂er-

    ker-6 and k̂er-

    English meaning: dark colour; dirt, etc..

    Deutsche Übersetzung: Farbwurzel for dunkle, schmutzige and graue Farbentöne

    Note: often extended with -i and -u; s. the extensions kerb(h)- and kers-.

    Material: O.Ind. karaṭa- “ oxblood, indigo “ (?), kuruṅgá-, kuluṅgá- m. “ antelope “, kirmira- “varicolored”, kárīṣa- n. “Auswurf, manure”, kardama- m. ‘slime, mud, smut, manure”; kalkam. “ordure, filth “, karka- “white” (: M.Ir. corcach); Pers. cardeh “ blackish, darkish “, kari, karah ‘smut”, pehl. karic “crap, muck”; Gk. κόρυζα “catarrh, Rotz”, κορύναι μύξαι Hes., καρυμόν μέλαν Hes., κροῦμαι μύξαι Hes.; about Lat. carbō “ burning or burnt wood” see above under 3. ker-; M.Ir. corcach f. ‘swamp, marsh” (: O.Ind. kalka-, karka-, see above); O.H.G. horo, gen. horawes, M.H.G. hor, hurwe “ordure, smut” (*kr̥-u-); O.E. horh, gen. horwes, O.H.G. horg “dirty, filthy” (*kr̥-k-u̯-o); O.Ice. horr m. “ nasal mucus, snot, smut”; O.E. hrot m. “Rotz”, O.H.G. hroz ds., asächs. hrottag ‘snotty”; O.H.G. ruoz, rouz, M.H.G. ruoz, ruost, asächs. hrot ‘smut”; O.E. hrum m. ‘smut”, asächs. hrum, M.H.G. PN Rum-olt; with palatal in anlaut: Arm. saṙn, gen. saṙin “ice”, saṙnum “gefriere”; Ven.-Illyr. PN Carmō (Steiermark, Austrian province), rätoromO.N. carmún “weasel”; see under k̂or-men-; Alb. thjer-më “gray”, per-thjerm “ lazuline” (*k̂er-u̯o- with secondary -më); i surmë “ashen” (*k̂or-mo-); s. Jokl Mé l. Pedersen 153 ff.; O.Ice. hjarn n. “frozen snow” (: Arm. saṙn, Slav. *sernъ); O.H.G. hornunc, Ger. Hornung “Februar”; O.H.G. harmo m. “ermine” (: Ven.-Illyr. carmō); Lith. šir̃ vas “gray, greyish-blue” (*k̂r̥-u̯o-s), šir̃ mas ds. (*k̂r̥-mo-s), Ltv. sirms “gray” (compare O.Ind. śyü-má- “black, dark” besides śyü-vá- ds.); Lith. šir̃ vis “(*gray) hare”; in addition Lith. šarmà f. “ hoarfrost”, Ltv. sarma, serma ds., Lith. šarmuõ , šermuõ “(*gray) ermine” (:O.H.G. harmo, Ven.-Illyr. carmō); šarmuonỹ s m. “(*gray) weasel”, with ablaut E.Lith. širmuone ̃ lis ds., Ltv. sermulis m. “(*gray) ermine”; Proto-Slav.. *sernъ in R.C.S. srěnъ “ποικίλος”, aRuss. serenyj “white” (from horses) and as m. Sloven. sre ̂n, sre ̂nj “hoarfrost, frozen Schneerinde”, Russ. serën “frozen snow”, Pol. szron (older srzon) “ hoarfrost (: O.Ice. hjarn); Lith. šer̃ kšnas (besides šer̃ kštas) “weißgrau, mouldy”, šer̃ knas m. “ hoarfrost “, ablaut. šir̃ kšnas “ hoarfrost “ and širsň ija širšnyti “ cover itself with white frost “; Ltv. serns, serksns m., also sersni m. Plur., sersna f. “ hoarfrost “ and serstu laiks “time, da the Schnee trägt”.

    Note: maybe (*hurwe) Hrv > Hrwat “dark people” = Sarmoi > Serboi, Srb from Lith. sarma “gray, white weasel” [common PIE b > w mutation]. It is interesting that the etymology of the name of the Croats (root: Hrv) is also unknown. Some suggest that the names actually originate from the same root: indeed, the roots are distinctly similar (Srb/Hrv). However, it is not known whether this is merely coincidental or indicative of a common origin.

    References: WP. I 409, 428 f., Trautmann 300, 303, Specht IE Decl. 118 f., 179, 199, W. Schulze Kl. Schr. 113 under Anm. 1.