*nēhwaz

Reconstruction

The adjective is *nēhwaz in Wiktionary,^[1] cited by its stem *nēhwa- in Kroonen,^[2] Köbler and Bammesberger;^[3][4] Köbler also writes *nǣhwa-.^[3] Orel heads an adverb *nēxw(a).^[5]

Etymology

Kroonen calls it a lengthened-grade adjective from Proto-Indo-European *h₂nek- (“to reach”), the root of *nuganą "to suffice";^[2] Wiktionary starts from a Pre-Germanic *h₂nḗḱwos.^[1]

Morphology

An adjective in *-a- with the lengthened grade of the root.^[2] Bammesberger explains it as a vṛddhi formation on a primary u-stem adjective *nek-ú-, which would normally have had the zero grade of the root.^[4] Köbler reconstructs the comparative *nēhwiz "nearer", continued in Gothic 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌹𐍃 (nēƕis) and Old English nēar.^[6]

Evidence

The word is attested in all three branches, though mostly as an adverb: Gothic 𐌽𐌴𐍈 (nēƕ) beside Gothic 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌰 (nēƕa), the prefix Old Norse ná- in Old Norse, and Old English nēah, Old Frisian nei, Old Saxon nāh and Old High German nāh in West Germanic.^[2][7] Old High German has it as an adjective too.^[2][8] In Old Norse the simple word survives only in compounds such as Old Norse nálægr (“lying near”).^[9] The adverb Gothic 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌰 (nēƕa) occurs 23 times in Wulfila's Bible.^[7]

Competing analyses

Orel instead takes it as an old compound of *ne- or *nō "on, from", as in Lithuanian nuõ, and *okʷ- "eye, sight", following Brugmann, and compares Lithuanian pranókti and Latvian nākt (“to get there”), following Zupitza.^[5] Holthausen also compared the Lithuanian and Latvian verbs.^[10] Feist knew only uncertain comparisons: Brugmann's Albanian word for "tomorrow" and Zupitza's Baltic verbs.^[11] Köbler lists the PIE root *h₁neḱ- "to reach" beside two doubtful negative particles.^[3]

Meanings

1. near^[2][3][5]
2. nigh, close^[1]

Old English also used it for "late" and, as an adverb, "almost",^[10] and the Old Frisian preposition means "after, according to".^[12]

Derivatives

• *nēhw "near", the adverb.^[13]
• *nēhwijaną "to approach", continued in Gothic 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌾𐌰𐌽 (nēƕjan),^[14] and *nēhwāną "to come closer";^[15] Orel writes the weak verb *nēxwēnan.^[5]
• *nēhwagabūrô "neighbour", with *gabūrô "dweller".^[16]
• Compounds in Orel: *nēxwa-westiz "nearness", *nēxwa-mēʒaz "near kinsman by marriage", *nēxwa-frijōnđz "near kinsman", and the noun *nēxwunđō "neighbourhood".^[5]

Reflexes

• Gothic: 𐌽𐌴𐍈 (nēƕ, “near”)^[11]
• Old Norse: ná- (“near, in compounds”)^[9]
• Old English: nēah (“near, close, late; almost”)^[10]
• Old Frisian: nei (“near; afterwards”)^[12]
• Old Saxon: nāh (“near”)^[17]
• Old High German: nāh (“near, nearly, almost”)^[18]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *nēhwaz
2. ^ a b c d e f Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 387
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *nēhwa-
4. ^ a b Bammesberger, Alfred (1990), Die Morphologie des urgermanischen Nomens, Heidelberg: Winter, p. 257
5. ^ a b c d e Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 286
6. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *nēhwi-
7. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. nēƕa
8. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. nāh
9. ^ a b de Vries, Jan (1977), Altnordisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 2nd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. 402
10. ^ a b c Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. nēah
11. ^ a b Feist, Sigmund (1939), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 3rd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. neƕ
12. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. nei
13. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *nēhw
14. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *nēhwijaną
15. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *nēhwāną
16. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *nēhwagabūrô
17. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. nāh
18. ^ 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. nâh