-isc
See also: ISC and iść
Middle English
Suffix
-isc
- Alternative form of -yssh
Old English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /iʃ/
Etymology 1
From Proto-West Germanic *-isk.
Suffix
-isċ
- of or relating to: -ish
- ċild (“child”) + -isc → ċildisċ (“childish”)
- ielf (“elf”) + -isc → ielfisċ (“elvish”)
- man (“person”) + -isc → mennisċ (“human”)
- þēod (“nation”) + -isc → þēodisċ (“national”)
Usage notes
- Replaces Latin -icus in loanwords.
- Almost the only suffix used to form adjectives meaning "of some ethnic group or nationality": Frīsa (“a Frisian”) → Frīsisċ (“Frisian”). Other examples include Āfricānisċ (“African”), Arabisċ (“Arabian”), Assyrisċ (“Assyrian”), Brettisċ (“British”), Centisċ (“Kentish”), Crēċisċ (“Greek”), Denisċ (“Danish”), Egyptisċ (“Egyptian”), Englisċ (“English”), Fēnisċ (“Phoenician”), Frenċisċ (“French/Frankish”), Gotisċ (“Gothic”), Indisċ (“Indian”), Iūdēisċ (“Jewish”), Ispānisċ (“Spanish”), Isrāēlisċ (“Israelite”), Langbeardisċ (“Lombardic”), Mæcedonisċ (“Macedonian”), Mierċisċ (“Mercian”), Norþanhymbrisċ (“Northumbrian”), Persisċ (“Persian”), Pihtisċ (“Pictish”), Rōmānisċ (“Roman”), Samaritānisċ (“Samaritan”), Sċyttisċ (“Scottish”), *Seaxisċ (“Saxon”), Sicilisċ (“Sicilian”), Syrisċ (“Syrian”), Troiānisċ (“Trojan”), and wīelisċ (“Welsh”). The word for "Ethiopian," Siġelhearwen, is a rare exception to this pattern.
Descendants
- Middle English: -ish, -isch
- Scots: -is, -ish
- English: -ish
Etymology 2
From Proto-Germanic *-iską, *-iskiją.
Alternative forms
- -isċe
Suffix
-isċ
- suffix forming nouns with a collective or group force
- þeġnisċ ― service, religious service, ministry
- hīwisċ ― household
- īdisċ ― property, household, family belongings, stuff
Declension
Declension of -isc (strong a-stem)
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
nominative | -isċ | -isċ |
accusative | -isċ | -isċ |
genitive | -isċes | -isċa |
dative | -isċe | -isċum |
Derived terms
Old English terms suffixed with -isc
Old High German
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *-isk.
Suffix
-isc
- used to form adjectives
- himilisc (“heavenly”) from himil (“heaven”)
Derived terms
Category Old High German terms suffixed with -isc not found
Descendants
- German: -isch, -sch
- → Dutch: -isch
- Luxembourgish: -esch
- Vilamovian: -yś
- Yiddish: ־יש (-ish)