Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-gin

This Proto-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-Germanic

Etymology

From a variant or development of the root found in Proto-Indo-European *kʷos + particle *ne.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɣin/

Particle

*-gin

Attaches to indefinite pronouns, with the suffixed word often being preceded by the particle *ne or *ni.
Attaches to indefinite adverbs, with the suffixed word often being preceded by the particle *ne or *ni.

Derived terms

Proto-Germanic terms suffixed with *-gin

Related terms

*-hun

Descendants

Old English: -ġen (hwerġen, hwærn)
Old Saxon: -gin (hwargin, hwergin)
- Middle Low German: -gen (irgen, jergen, jerne)
Old Dutch: -gin (iowergin, niergen)
- Middle Dutch: -gen (ergen, nergen)
  - Dutch: -gens (ergens, nergens)
Old High German: -gin (wergin)
- Middle High German: -gen (irgen)
  - (German: irgend)
Old Norse: -gi
- (Icelandic: hvergi, manngi, hvorki, hvorugur, einungis, enginn, vettugi, öldungis)
- (Danish: hverken, ingen, ikke, aldrig, ej)

References

Lehmann, Winfred P. (1986) A Gothic Etymological Dictionary, based on the 3rd ed. of Feist’s dictionary, Leiden: E. J. Brill