Edwin G. Pulleyblank
According to Axel Schuessler's new etymological dictionary of Old Chinese (2007:208), "de" &lt; *"tək" "moral force, virtue, character; quality, nature" is probably in the same word family as "de" &lt; *"tək" "to get" and perhaps "zhi" &lt; *"drək" "straight; right". It quotes the proposal of Edwin G. Pulleyblank that "de" and "de" are cognate with Tibetan language "thub" "a mighty one, one having power and authority".