*-iskaz

Reconstruction

The suffix is *-iskaz in Köbler and Wiktionary,^[1][2] *-iska- in Kroonen, Ringe, Bammesberger and EWA.^[3][4][5][6] Kroonen also writes *-(i)ska-.^[7]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *-iskos.^[2] Feist compares the Indo-European suffix *-isko- in a Greek diminutive for "little boy" and in Latin priscus (“old”).^[8] Ringe calls *-isko- widespread in the European branches, with a function hard to determine;^[4] Greek uses it for diminutives.^[4]

Morphology

A suffix forming adjectives, inflected as an a-stem adjective.^[2][9] It usually forms adjectives from nouns, rarely from adjectives, as in Old High German altisc from alt; the few nouns in *-iska- are derived from such adjectives, like mennisko (“human being”).^[6] Bammesberger thinks the suffix ultimately started from stems in *-es-, perhaps also *-is-.^[5] Kroonen derives *twisk(j)a- "twofold" with *-(i)ska- and compares an Armenian word for "associate".^[7]

Evidence

The suffix continues in all the Germanic languages, as Gothic -𐌹𐍃𐌺𐍃 (-isks), Old Norse -iskr, Old English -isc, Old Frisian -isc, Old Saxon -isk and Old High German -isc.^[6] It became productive only in the separate languages; only a few formations are common Germanic, such as *manniska- and *þeuđiska-.^[6] Examples are Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌹𐍃𐌺𐍃 (mannisks, “human”),^[10] found in Wulfila's Bible, for instance at John 12:43,^[9] and 𐌱𐌰𐍂𐌽𐌹𐍃𐌺𐍃 (barnisks, “childish”).^[8]

Meanings

1. forming adjectives from nouns: "characteristic of, pertaining to"^[2][4]
2. -ish^[1]

In Old High German the suffix marks origin and belonging in general; in Modern German it mostly marks belonging to peoples, groups of persons or areas, often with a pejorative tone.^[6]

Derivatives

• *manniskaz "human", from *mannan- "man".^[3][11]
• *þiudiskaz "of the people, tribal".^[12][4]
• *walhiskaz "foreign, non-Germanic", *daniskaz "Danish".^[2]
• *barniskaz "childish".^[13][8]
• *hīwiskiją "household", in Old Saxon hīwiski and Old High German hīwiski "family".^[14][15]

Reflexes

• Gothic: -𐌹𐍃𐌺𐍃 (-isks, “-ish”)^[16]
• Old Norse: -iskr, in EWA's list^[6]
• Old English: -isc, in EWA's list^[6]
• Old Frisian: -isk (“-ish”)^[17]
• Old Saxon: -isk (“-ish”)^[18]
• Old High German: -isc^[6]

References

1. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *-iskaz
2. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *-iskaz
3. ^ a b Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 354
4. ^ a b c d e Ringe, Don (2017), From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 326
5. ^ a b Bammesberger, Alfred (1990), Die Morphologie des urgermanischen Nomens, Heidelberg: Winter, p. 253
6. ^ a b c d e f g h Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. s.v. -isc
7. ^ a b Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 530
8. ^ a b c Feist, Sigmund (1939), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 3rd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. barnisks
9. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. mannisks
10. ^ Feist, Sigmund (1939), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 3rd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. mannisks
11. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *manniskaz
12. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *þiudiskaz
13. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *barniskaz
14. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hīwiskiją
15. ^ Bammesberger, Alfred (1990), Die Morphologie des urgermanischen Nomens, Heidelberg: Winter, p. 68
16. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *-isks
17. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altfriesisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *-isk
18. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. isk