*iz

Reconstruction

The pronoun is *iz in Orel and Wiktionary,^[1][2] *iz or *eiz in Köbler,^[3] and the stem *i- in Kroonen.^[4] EWA starts from a Proto-Germanic nominative masculine *iz and neuter *it, beside forms with *e-.^[5]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ís (“he, this”), according to Wiktionary;^[2] Kroonen calls it the PIE demonstrative pronoun, probably masculine *h₁ei, feminine *h₁i-ih₂, neuter *h₁id.^[4]

Morphology

The anaphoric pronoun of the third person.^[2][5] Wiktionary's paradigm includes the neuter *it, the accusative *inǭ, the genitive *es and the dative *immai.^[2] EWA describes the Germanic paradigm as built on a stem *i-/*e-, supplemented in Gothic and West Germanic by a stem in s- for some feminine forms, and by forms in h- in North Sea Germanic and North Germanic.^[5] The Gothic masculine 𐌹𐍃 (is) stands beside the neuter 𐌹𐍄𐌰 (ita).^[6]

Evidence

EWA traces the nominative regularly to Gothic 𐌹𐍃 (is), to Swedish and Danish runic forms read iR, eR and iaR, and to Old High German ir, beside Old High German er.^[5] Crimean Gothic has ies "ille".^[6] In Old Norse the pronoun survives only as the relative particle Old Norse es, later er,^[7] and in Old English only in the prefix Old English ī- (“same”).^[3] Orel adds Old Frisian er and Old Saxon es, is.^[1] Köbler lists Old Saxon is under the pronoun hē.^[8] Its cognates include Latin is, Old Irish é (“he”) and Lithuanian jis (“he”).^[4]

Competing analyses

Orel also relates the pronoun to the Indo-Iranian relative pronoun "who, which", and equates the neuter *it with Latin id.^[1] For the forms in h- EWA reports, after Klingenschmitt, a compound of a pre-Germanic particle with the anaphoric stem, *χa + iz.^[5]

Meanings

1. he, she, it; the pronoun of the third person^[1][3][2]
2. that one^[4]

In Old Norse the pronoun became a relative particle.^[7][9]

Reflexes

• Gothic: 𐌹𐍃 (is, “he”)^[6]
• Old Norse: es (“who, which”), a relative particle, later er^[7]
• Old English: ī- (“same”), only in compounds^[3]
• Old Frisian: er (“he”), in Orel's list^[1]
• Old Saxon: is (“he”)^[8]
• Old High German: er (“he”)^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *iz
2. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *iz
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *iz
4. ^ a b c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 268
5. ^ a b c d e f 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. er
6. ^ a b c Feist, Sigmund (1939), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 3rd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. is
7. ^ a b c de Vries, Jan (1977), Altnordisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 2nd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. es
8. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. is
9. ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Altnordisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary database copy), p. s.v. es