Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₁n̥gʷnís

This Proto-Indo-European 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-Indo-European

Etymology

From *h₁engʷ- (“to burn; fire”).

Noun

*h₁n̥gʷnís m

1. fire

   Synonyms: *h₂eh₁ter-, *péh₂wr̥

Usage notes

Two main terms for “fire” are reconstructible for Proto-Indo-European: *h₁n̥gʷnís and *péh₂wr̥. They are usually considered in semantic opposition. The first term is usually masculine and refers to fire as something animate and active (compare Agni, the most prominent Old Indic deity), whereas the second term is neuter and refers to fire as something inanimate and passive, i.e. as a substance.

Inflection

Athematic
	singular
nominative	*h₁n̥gʷnís
genitive	*h₁n̥gʷnéys
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*h₁n̥gʷnís	*h₁n̥gʷníh₁(e)	*h₁n̥gʷnéyes
vocative	*h₁n̥gʷní	*h₁n̥gʷníh₁(e)	*h₁n̥gʷnéyes
accusative	*h₁n̥gʷním	*h₁n̥gʷníh₁(e)	*h₁n̥gʷníms
genitive	*h₁n̥gʷnéys	*?	*h₁n̥gʷnéyoHom
ablative	*h₁n̥gʷnéys	*?	*h₁n̥gʷnéymos, *h₁n̥gʷnéybʰos
dative	*h₁n̥gʷnéyey	*?	*h₁n̥gʷnéymos, *h₁n̥gʷnéybʰos
locative	*h₁n̥gʷnéy, *h₁n̥gʷnḗy	*?	*h₁n̥gʷnéysu
instrumental	*h₁n̥gʷnéyh₁	*?	*h₁n̥gʷnéymis, *h₁n̥gʷnéybʰis

Descendants

• Proto-Albanian: *agni
  • Albanian: e enjte
  • Albanian: En
• Proto-Balto-Slavic: *úngnis (see there for further descendants)
• Proto-Indo-Iranian: *Hagníš (see there for further descendants)
• Proto-Italic: *əngʷnis (see there for further descendants)

References

• Mallory, J. P., Adams, D. Q., editors (1997), Encyclopedia of Indo-European culture, London, Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, page 202
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1992) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎^[1] (in German), volume 1, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 44

Further reading

• h₁n̥gʷnis on Wikipedia.Wikipedia