*serþaną

Runic: ᛊᛖᚱᚦᚨᚾᚨ Pronunciation: /ˈser.θɑ.nɑ̃/

verb · Strong class 3

Meanings

to hit; to violate sexually (apparently linked with rape, homosexuality and bestiality)

Etymology

Kroonen reconstructs Proto-Indo-European *sert- (‘to hit (?); to rub against, move obliquely against’). Compare Hittite 𒊬𒋫𒄿 (šar-ta-i) (šar-ta-i, ‘to wipe, rub’) and perhaps Welsh serth (‘obscene’). Kloekhorst meanwhile argues for *serdʰH- based on Hittite.

Conjugation

Present active

Person	Indicative	Subjunctive	Imperative
1st singular	serþō	serþaų	–
2nd singular	sirþizi	serþaiz	serþ
3rd singular	sirþidi	serþai	serþadau
1st dual	serþōz	serþaiw	–
2nd dual	serþadiz	serþaidiz	serþadiz
1st plural	serþamaz	serþaim	–
2nd plural	sirþid	serþaid	sirþid
3rd plural	serþandi	serþain	serþandau

Present passive

Person	Indicative	Subjunctive
1st singular	serþai	–
2nd singular	serþazai	serþaizau
3rd singular	serþadai	serþaidau
1st dual	–	–
2nd dual	–	–
1st plural	serþandai	serþaindau
2nd plural	serþandai	serþaindau
3rd plural	serþandai	serþaindau

Past

Person	Indicative	Subjunctive
1st singular	sarþ	surdį̄
2nd singular	sarst	surdīz
3rd singular	sarþ	surdī
1st dual	surdū	surdīw
2nd dual	surdudiz	surdīdiz
1st plural	surdum	surdīm
2nd plural	surdud	surdīd
3rd plural	surdun	surdīn

Non-finite Forms

Infinitive	Present Participle	Past Participle
serþaną	serþandz	surdanaz

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Descendants

*serþan (Proto-West Germanic)
- *serthan (Old Dutch)
  - serden (Middle Dutch)
    - zeerden (Dutch)
*serþan (Proto-West Germanic)
- seorþan (Old English)
  - serden (Middle English)
    - sard (English)
    - sard (Scots)
*serþan (Proto-West Germanic)
- sertan (Old High German)
  - serten (Middle High German)
    - serten (German)
*serþan (Proto-West Germanic)
- *serthan (Old Saxon)
  - serden (Middle Low German)
*serdan (Proto-West Germanic)
- *serthan (Old Dutch)
  - serden (Middle Dutch)
    - zeerden (Dutch)
*serdan (Proto-West Germanic)
- seorþan (Old English)
  - serden (Middle English)
    - sard (English)
    - sard (Scots)
*serdan (Proto-West Germanic)
- sertan (Old High German)
  - serten (Middle High German)
    - serten (German)
*serdan (Proto-West Germanic)
- *serthan (Old Saxon)
  - serden (Middle Low German)
serða (Old Norse)
- serða (Icelandic)
- særþa (Old Swedish)

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