*stainaz

Reconstruction

The word is *stainaz in Orel and Wiktionary,^[1][2] cited by its stem *staina- in Kroonen and Köbler.^[3][4] Antonsen writes the runic forms as Proto-Germanic *stain-a-z, accusative *stain-a-n.^[5]

Etymology

Kroonen has it from Proto-Indo-European *steih₂- (“to stiffen”), from *stoiH-no-, a no-stem to that root, and compares Sanskrit स्त्यायते (styā́yate, “coagulates”).^[3] Wiktionary gives the same root, with a Pre-Germanic *stóyh₂nos.^[2]

Morphology

A masculine a-stem.^[3][4] Antonsen reads the runic nominative singular Proto-Norse ᛊᛏᚨᛁᚾᚨᛉ (stainaz) and the accusative singular Proto-Norse ᛊᛏᚨᛁᚾᚨ (staina).^[5] Kroonen analyses the stem as a no-stem formed to a verbal root.^[3]

Evidence

The word is attested in all three branches: Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (stains) in Gothic, Old Norse steinn in Old Norse, and Old English stān, Old Frisian stēn, Old Saxon stēn and Old High German stein in West Germanic.^[3] It is recorded early in runic inscriptions: the accusative Proto-Norse ᛊᛏᚨᛁᚾᚨ (staina) stands on the Vetteland stone, which Antonsen dates to 350 AD, and on the Tune stone of about 400, and the nominative, which Antonsen reads as *stain-a-z, on the Krogsta stone of about 550.^[6][7] The Gothic word is in Wulfila's Bible.^[8]

Competing analyses

Orel connects the Slavic Proto-Slavic *stěna (“wall”) and, further, an IE *stāi- "to thicken".^[1] Feist thought the Old Church Slavonic word hardly a loan from Germanic.^[9] Ringe, on the other hand, lists *stainaz among the Proto-Germanic words of doubtful or unknown origin.^[10]

Meanings

1. stone^[3][1][2]

Gothic and Old High German also use the word for "rock",^[9][11] and Old Norse also for "gem" and "paint".^[7]

Derivatives

• *stainīnaz "made of stone" and *stainagaz "stony".^[2]
• *stainijaną "to stone, to furnish with stones".^[2]
• Compounds in Orel: *aʒja-stainaz "sharp stone", *erkna-stainaz "precious stone", *xaʒla-stainaz "hailstone", *kwernu-stainaz "millstone".^[1]

Reflexes

• Gothic: 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (stains, “stone, rock”)^[9]
• Old Norse: steinn (“stone, gem”)^[7]
• Old English: stān (“stone, rock”)^[12]
• Old Frisian: stēn (“stone”)^[13]
• Old Saxon: stēn (“stone, rock”)^[14]
• Old High German: stein (“stone, rock, gem”)^[11]

References

1. ^ a b c d Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. *stainaz
2. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *stainaz
3. ^ 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. 472
4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *staina-
5. ^ a b Antonsen, Elmer H. (1975), A Concise Grammar of the Older Runic Inscriptions, Sprachstrukturen A 3, Tübingen: Niemeyer, p. no. 18, 113
6. ^ Antonsen, Elmer H. (1975), A Concise Grammar of the Older Runic Inscriptions, Sprachstrukturen A 3, Tübingen: Niemeyer, p. no. 18, 27, 113
7. ^ a b c de Vries, Jan (1977), Altnordisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 2nd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. steinn
8. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. stains
9. ^ a b c Feist, Sigmund (1939), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 3rd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. stains
10. ^ Ringe, Don (2017), From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 328
11. ^ a b 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. stein
12. ^ Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. stān
13. ^ Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. stēn
14. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. stên