Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ōną

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 two sources, both reflecting earlier *-ōjaną:

    • From Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti, an innovated compound suffix from *-éh₂ (eh₂-stem noun suffix) + *-yéti (verbal suffix). These were originally formed as denominative verbs from ō-stem nouns. When attached to thematic (a-stem) nouns, the thematic vowel was also retained, but the resulting compound suffix *-eyé- became part of the first weak class instead.
    • From Proto-Indo-European *-(e)h₂yéti, an innovated compound suffix from *-(e)h₂ti (factitive verb suffix) which was originally athematic, but later extended with the thematic present suffix *-yéti.

    Cognates include Latin -āre (the whole first conjugation in the present) together with its Proto-Italic ancestor *-āō, Ancient Greek -άω (-áō, contracted verb), -अयति (-ayati) (for the causative in Sanskrit), Proto-Celtic *-āti and Proto-Balto-Slavic *-ā́ˀtei (whence the infinite Proto-Slavic *-ati, referring again to the whole conjugation). Note that Ringe (2017) reconstructs this suffix with a trimoraic vowel, *-ôną (or, following his own conventions, *-ō̄ną). See Ringe (2017: 160).

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɔː.nɑ̃/

    Verb

    *-ōną

    1. Suffix of the infinitive. Creates denominative verbs from nouns.
    2. Suffix of the infinitive. Creates factitive verbs from adjectives.

    Inflection

    Conjugation of *-ōną (weak class 2)
    active voice passive voice
    present tense indicative subjunctive imperative indicative subjunctive
    1st singular *-ō *-ǭ *-ōi ?
    2nd singular *-ōsi *-ōs *-ō *-ōsai *-ōsau
    3rd singular *-ōþi *-ō *-ōþau *-ōþai *-ōþau
    1st dual *-ōs *-ōw
    2nd dual *-ōþiz *-ōþiz *-ōþiz
    1st plural *-ōmaz *-ōm *-ōnþai *-ōnþau
    2nd plural *-ōþ *-ōþ *-ōþ *-ōnþai *-ōnþau
    3rd plural *-ōnþi *-ōn *-ōnþau *-ōnþai *-ōnþau
    past tense indicative subjunctive
    1st singular *-ōdǭ *-ōdēdį̄
    2nd singular *-ōdēz *-ōdēdīz
    3rd singular *-ōdē *-ōdēdī
    1st dual *-ōdēdū *-ōdēdīw
    2nd dual *-ōdēdudiz *-ōdēdīdiz
    1st plural *-ōdēdum *-ōdēdīm
    2nd plural *-ōdēdud *-ōdēdīd
    3rd plural *-ōdēdun *-ōdēdīn
    present past
    participles *-ōndz *-ōdaz

    Derived terms

    Proto-Germanic terms suffixed with *-ōną (denominative)
    Proto-Germanic terms suffixed with *-ōną (factitive)

    Descendants

    This class eventually became the dominant and most productive verb class in all daughter languages.

    • Proto-West Germanic: *-ōn
      • Old English: -ian
        • Middle English: -ien (Early Middle English or Kentish, Southern, or Southwest Midland)
          • English: -y, -ee (dialectal, West Country)
        • Middle English: -en
          • English: -en (obsolete)
          • Middle Scots: -en, -in (literary, under Chaucerian influence)
      • Old Frisian: -ia
        • North Frisian: -je
        • Saterland Frisian: -je
        • West Frisian: -je
      • Old Saxon: -ōn, -oian
        • Middle Low German: -en
          • Low German: -en
      • Old Dutch: -ōn
      • Old High German: -ōn
        • Middle High German: -en
    • Proto-Norse:
      • Old Norse: -a
        • Icelandic: -a
        • Faroese: -a
        • Norwegian Nynorsk: -a, -e; (dialectal, in verbs with jamvekt)
        • Old Swedish: -a
          • Swedish: -a
        • Danish: -e
          • Norwegian Bokmål: -e
    • Gothic: -𐍉𐌽 (-ōn)