*hinder

Reconstruction

The word is *hinder in Wiktionary and *χinder in EWA,^[1][2] *hindara in Köbler^[3] and *xinđr(ōn) in Orel, as an adjective and adverb.^[4]

Etymology

Wiktionary has it from Proto-Indo-European *ḱem-tér- (“down, back, along, over, through”), from *ḱóm "beside, near, with".^[1] EWA, after Klingenschmitt, sets up a pre-form *k̂entér from *k̂e-entér.^[2]

Morphology

An adverb and preposition.^[1][3] Feist explains the Gothic word as a comparative formation to the stem *hind- of Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽𐌰 (hindana), as Gothic 𐌰𐍆𐍄𐌰𐍂 (aftar) stands beside Gothic 𐌰𐍆𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌰 (aftana);^[5] Orel too calls it an old comparative.^[4] EWA takes *-tér as the suffix used in Indo-European languages for comparatives, and reads the Proto-Germanic form from the Old High German derivatives hinterôro and hinterôst.^[2]

Evidence

The word is attested in Gothic, Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍂 (hindar),^[5] and in West Germanic: Old English hinder, Old Frisian hindera and Old High German hintar.^[4][3] The Old Dutch hinder is recorded in Williram, about 1100.^[2] North Germanic has it in derived forms only: the comparative Old Norse hindri "hinder, hindmost" and compounds such as Old Norse hindardags (“the day after tomorrow”).^[4][2]

Competing analyses

Wiktionary compares Latin contrā (“against”) and Ancient Greek κατά (katá, “downwards”).^[1] Orel derives the word from *xin-, a derivative of the pronoun *hiz "this";^[4] Wiktionary reports this as Orel's alternative.^[1] EWA, after Klingenschmitt, sees in the first part an originally near-deictic *k̂e- that strengthened an inherited pronominal stem *ne/no- "that".^[2] Köbler calls the etymology disputed.^[3]

Meanings

1. behind, beyond (preposition)^[1][3]
2. back, on that side of, behind (adverb)^[1]

Gothic also used the preposition for "at, with",^[2] and Old English the adverb for "back, after".^[6]

Derivatives

• *hinderōną "to hinder";^[7] Orel writes *xinđrōjanan.^[8]
• The comparative and superlative adjectives *χinderan- and *χinderistan-, which EWA sees in Old Saxon hindiro (“the hinder”) and Old Saxon hindirist (“the last”).^[9]

Reflexes

• Gothic: 𐌷𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍂 (hindar, “behind, beyond”)^[5][10]
• Old Norse: hindar, only in compounds^[1][2]
• Old English: hinder (“behind, after, back”)^[6]
• Old Frisian: hindera (“behind”)^[11]
• Old Dutch: hinder (“behind”)^[2]
• Old High German: hintar (“behind, back”)^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hinder
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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. hintar
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *hindara
4. ^ a b c d e Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *xinđr, *xinđrōn
5. ^ a b c Feist, Sigmund (1939), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 3rd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. 155
6. ^ a b Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. hinder
7. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hinderōną
8. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *xinđrōjanan
9. ^ 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. hintaro
10. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. hindar
11. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altfriesisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. hindera