The Database of Semantic Shifts in the languages of the world

ACCEPTED Realization 3
Type		Derivation
Language		German
Lexeme 1		alt
Lexeme 2		Eltern
Meaning 1	old (vs. young)
Direction	→
Meaning 2	parents
Reference		DWDS English Wiktionary
Comment		From Middle High German eltern, from Old High German eltirōn, from Proto-Germanic alþizô. The form is equivalent to a nominalised comparative of alt* 'old'. The according spelling Ältern was common in Early Modern German, but later went out of fashion. Several sources claim that this was due to incomprehension of the etymology, but that seems implausible given its obviousness. An alternative explanation would be the desire to distinguish between Eltern 'parents' and die Älteren 'older ones, elders', which latter was commonly spelt Ältern.

ACCEPTED Realization 4
Type		Derivation
Language		Latvian
Lexeme 1		vecs
Lexeme 2		vecāki
Meaning 1	old
Direction	→
Meaning 2	parents
Reference		LEV 1992
Comment		The term vecāki 'parents' constitutes a nominalized use of the comparative plural form of the adjective vecs 'old' and a calque of German Eltern 'parents'. In previous centuries it was also used in the sense of 'ancient ones', 'ancestors', 'elders', 'wise ones'; in the 20th century, its meaning had become restricted to 'parents'. Previously, combinations like tēvs un māte 'father and mother' or tēvs māmiņa lit. 'father-mommy'.

ACCEPTED Realization 6
Type		Polysemy
Language		Serbian
Lexeme		star (стар)
Meaning 1	old (vs. young)	стари човек old man
Direction	→
Meaning 2	parents, ancestors	Његови стари су били јунаци. His ancestors were heroes.
Reference		Vujanitsh et al. 2007: 1266-1267
Comment