Dutch kwam / kwamen

[Red Arrow]

I was wondering: why does Dutch kwam(en) have a W whereas the other Germanic languages don't have it (anymore)? I can't think of any other words like that.

 

[berndf]

I guess it is just a relict of an ancient pronunciation. In West Germanic the initial k was certainly still labialized. In OHG, e.g., you find spellings with qu-.

Fater unser, thû thâr bist in himile,
sî giheilagôt thîn namo,
queme thîn rîhhi,
sî thîn uuillo,
sô her in himile ist, sô sî her in erdu, ..

Early 9th century.

 

[Swatters]

Dutch kwaad vs German Kot is another pair that's delabialised in German (alongside a shift to a back vowel) but kept labial with a low vowel in Dutch