Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ô

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔːː/

Etymology 1

Uncertain. Possibly a fossilised form of the Proto-Indo-European thematic ablative *-eh₂d, in which case it would reflect earlier *-ôt before word-final -t was lost.

Adverb

*-ô

2. -ly. Creates adverbs of manner from adjectives.

Derived terms

Proto-Germanic terms suffixed with *-ô (adverb)

Related terms

• *-ê

Descendants

This suffix lost its function in some Middle West Germanic languages, where adverbs eventually became identical to the base adjectives they were formed from.

• Proto-West Germanic: *-ō
  • Old English: -o, -a
    • Middle English: -e (fossilised)
  • Old Frisian: -a
  • Old Saxon: -o
    • Middle Low German: -e
  • Old Dutch: -o
    • Middle Dutch: -e
  • Old High German: -o
    • Middle High German: -e
• Old Norse: -a (may have merged with *-ê)
  • Icelandic: -a
  • Old Swedish: -a, -æ
    • Swedish: -a (non-productive)
  • Danish: -e (non-productive)
• Gothic: -𐍉 (-ō)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Indo-European *-ō. Proto-Germanic masculine n-stems continue Proto-Indo-European amphikinetic n-stems, meaning the vowel grade in the root, the suffix, and the ending alternated throughout the paradigm. Stem ablaut was not preserved in any later Germanic language, but it is indirectly tangible through such pairs as English corn and German Kern (“seed”). Suffix ablaut is clearly visible in the paradigm below, by way of the *ô ~ *a ~ *i alternation.

Alternative forms

• *-jô

Noun

*-ô m

2. -er. Forms agent nouns, often from the zero-grade form of the base.

Inflection

Declension of *-ô (an-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	*-ô	*-aniz
Vocative	*-ô	*-aniz
Accusative	*-anų	*-anunz
Genitive	*-iniz	*-anǫ̂
Dative	*-ini	*-ammaz
Instrumental	*-inē	*-ammiz

Coordinate terms

• *-ǭ f (“-ess”)

Derived terms

Proto-Germanic terms suffixed with *-ô (agent noun)

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *-ō
  • Old English: -a
    • Middle English: -e (fossilised)
  • Old Frisian: -a
  • Old Saxon: -o
    • Middle Low German: -e
  • Old Dutch: -o
    • Middle Dutch: -e
  • Old High German: -o
    • Middle High German: -e
      • German: -e (fossilised)
• Old Norse: -i (merged with *-jô in nominative singular)
  • Icelandic: -i
  • Old Swedish: -e
• Gothic: -𐌰 (-a)