*in

Reconstruction

Wiktionary and Ringe write *in,^[1][2] Köbler *en, *in.^[3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én (“in”).^[1] Ringe derives it from PIE *en and compares Ancient Greek ἐν (en) and Old Latin en, later Latin in.^[4]

Morphology

A preposition, also used as an adverb and a verbal prefix.^[5][6] The *i is the regular outcome of PIE *e before a nasal in the same syllable.^[2]

Evidence

The preposition is attested in all three branches, in the same functions and meanings: Gothic 𐌹𐌽 (in), Old Norse í, Old English in, Old Frisian in, Old Saxon in and Old High German in.^[6] The Gothic word is in Wulfila's Bible.^[5]

Competing analyses

EWA doubts a Proto-Germanic *en(i) with a final vowel, since some reflexes with a final vowel would then be expected and Old Norse í at least cannot go back to the longer form; it prefers *en, the attested form being its weakly stressed development, following G. Schmidt and Lühr.^[6] Köbler gives both *en and *in.^[3]

Meanings

1. in; into^[1][3][4]

The Gothic preposition also meant "on", "at", "during" and "because of",^[5] and the Old Norse one "between" and "at".^[7]

Derivatives

• *innai "within", with a locative suffix.^[8]
• *inn and *innanē, adverbs derived from it.^[9][10] EWA traces such adverbs, Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌽 (inn, “into”) and its counterparts in Old Norse and in Old English, to an accusative *ennan, following Klingenschmitt.^[6]

Reflexes

• Gothic: 𐌹𐌽 (in, “in, on, at, during, because of”)^[5]
• Old Norse: í (“in, between, at”)^[7]
• Old English: in (“in, on, to, between, during”)^[11]
• Old Frisian: in (“in, on, during, into”)^[12]
• Old Saxon: in (“in, into”)^[13]
• Old High German: in (“in, to, at, on”)^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *in
2. ^ a b Ringe, Don (2017), From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 173
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *en
4. ^ a b Ringe, Don (2017), From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 89
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. in
6. ^ a b c d e 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. in
7. ^ a b de Vries, Jan (1977), Altnordisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 2nd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. í
8. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *innai
9. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *inn
10. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *innanē
11. ^ Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. in
12. ^ Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. in
13. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. in