Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/

This Proto-West Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-West Germanic

Etymology 1

    From Proto-Germanic *-į̄.

    Suffix

    *-ī f

    1. -ness, -th. Forms abstract nouns from adjectives which represent the state, quality or measure of the adjective.
    Inflection
    īn-stem
    Singular
    Nominative *-ī
    Genitive *-īn
    Singular Plural
    Nominative *-ī
    Accusative *-īn
    Genitive *-īn
    Dative *-īn
    Instrumental *-īn
    Derived terms
    Proto-West Germanic terms suffixed with *-ī (abstract noun)
    Descendants
    • Old English: -u (even after long syllables, e.g. ieldu, brǣdu)
      • Middle English: -e
    • Old Frisian: -e
      • North Frisian: -e
      • Saterland Frisian: -e
    • Old Saxon: -i
      • Middle Low German: -e
    • Old Dutch: *-i
      • Middle Dutch: -e
    • Old High German:
      • Middle High German: -e
        • German: -e

    Etymology 2

      From Proto-Germanic *-jaz.

      Suffix

      *-ī

      1. Forms adjectives from verbs and nouns.
      Inflection
      ja-stem
      Singular Masculine
      Nominative *-ī
      Genitive *-ijas
      Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
      Nominative *-ī *-iju *-ī
      Accusative *-ijanā *-ijā *-ī
      Genitive *-ijas *-ijeʀā *-ijas
      Dative *-ijumē *-ijeʀē *-ijumē
      Instrumental *-iju *-ijeʀu *-iju
      Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
      Nominative *-ijē *-ijō *-iju
      Accusative *-ijā *-ijā *-iju
      Genitive *-ijeʀō *-ijeʀō *-ijeʀō
      Dative *-ijēm, *-ijum *-ijēm, *-ijum *-ijēm, *-ijum
      Instrumental *-ijēm, *-ijum *-ijēm, *-ijum *-ijēm, *-ijum
      Derived terms
      Proto-West Germanic terms suffixed with *-ī (adjective)

      Etymology 3

        A conflation of multiple suffixes:

        Suffix

        *-ī[1][2]

        1. Forms the nominative/accusative plural of i-stem nouns.
          *albi (elf) + ‎ → ‎*albī (elves)
          *mari (sea) + ‎ → ‎*marī (seas)
        Alternative reconstructions
        • *-į̄ (masculine/feminine accusative plural)
        Descendants
        • Old English: -e (early -i)
        • Old Saxon: -i, -e
          • Middle Low German: -e
            • Low German: -e
        • Old Dutch: -i
          • Middle Dutch: -e
        • Old High German: -i, -e
          • Middle High German: -e
            • Bavarian:
              Cimbrian: -e
            • German: -e
            • East Central German: -e
            • Rhine Franconian:
              Hessian: -e (Northern)

        References

        1. ^ Fulk, R[obert] D. (September 2018), “Nouns”, in A Comparative Grammar of the Early Germanic Languages (Studies in Germanic Linguistics; 3)‎[1], Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →DOI, →ISBN, →LCCN, § 7.21, page 161.
        2. ^ Ringe, Donald; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English (A Linguistic History of English; 2), Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 114