Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/līną

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed words 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

Likely from Proto-Indo-European *līno-.

Cognates include Latin līnum and all its derivatives.

Although Greek λίνον (línon), Lithuanian linas, Russian лён (ljon) are sometimes listed as cognates, they actually derive from *lino- with a short /i/.

Considering also the existence of a Latin root with a short /i/ and a /t/ (linteum), reconstruction of a common PIE protoform is impossible, and no similarly sounding terms are attested outside of Europe.

If such roots were borrowed from one or several non-IE languages, locating the source is impossible because cultivation of linen was ubiquitous in the region since the Neolithic.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈliː.nɑ̃/

Noun

*līną n

flax

Synonyms

*flahsą
*hazwaz

Derived terms

*līnīnaz

Descendants

Old English: līn
- Middle English: lin, line
  - English: line
  - Scots: line, lyne
Old Frisian: līn
- Saterland Frisian: Lien
- West Frisian: lyn
Old Saxon: līn
- Middle Low German: lîn
  - German Low German: Lien
Old Dutch: *līn
- Middle Dutch: lijn
  - Dutch: lijn
Old High German: līn
- Middle High German: līn
  - German: Lein
  - Vilamovian: łȧjn
Old Norse: lín
- Icelandic: lín
- Faroese: lín
- Norwegian: lin
- Old Swedish: līn
  - Swedish: lin
Gothic: 𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌽 (lein)
→ Finnish: liina
→ Samic: *lijnē
- Northern Sami: liidni
- Southern Sami: lijnie

References

De Vaan, Michiel (2008), “līnum”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 344