*nāhw

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs the adverb *nāhw,^[1] and Ringe and Taylor the stem *nāhw- "near".^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *nēhw (“near”),^[1][2] which Wiktionary derives from the adjective *nēhwaz, the form Kroonen cites by its stem *nēhwa-.^[4][5] The *ā comes from the Northwest Germanic change of *ē to *ā: Proto-Germanic *nēhw- became Proto-Northwest Germanic *nāhw-, the source of Old Norse ná-, Old English nēah, Old Saxon nāh and Old High German nāh.^[6]

Morphology

The Proto-Germanic comparative adverb *nēhwiz "nearer" was remade as Proto-West Germanic *nāh(w)ōz and then *nāhōr, with the -r restored on the model of the adjective after the loss of final *-z: Old Frisian niār, Old Saxon nāhor, Old High German nāhōr.^[7] The superlative is *nāhwist "nearest", weak *nāhwistō, from Proto-Germanic *nēhwistą: nēsta, Old Saxon nāhisto and Old High German nāhisto.^[8][9] In Old High German the word is an adverb and, from the 10th century, a preposition with the dative.^[10]

Evidence

The word is found in all the West Germanic languages: Old English nēah, Old Frisian nēi, Old Saxon nāh and Old High German nāh.^[10][11] Old Dutch has the preposition nah in Williram's commentary of about 1100.^[12] Its reflexes diverged widely in Old English: the West Saxon form goes back to *nǣh, while non-West Saxon *nēh gave Kentish *nēoh and Anglian nēh.^[2][13] It is the only Old English example of West Saxon *ǣh beside Kentish and Anglian *ēh.^[2]

Competing analyses

Kroonen takes the Proto-Germanic adjective for a lengthened-grade formation from a root meaning "to reach".^[5] EWA instead derives the Proto-Germanic adverb from an older adverb compounded of a preposition meaning "on, at, after" and the enclitic conjunction "and".^[10] Berr calls the cognates outside Germanic uncertain.^[14]

Meanings

1. near, close^[1][2]

Old English also used the word for "almost" and "according to",^[11] Old Frisian and Old Dutch as a preposition "after",^[15][12] and Old High German for "nearly, almost".^[10]

Derivatives

• *nāhwawisti "neighbourhood", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[16] Ringe and Taylor write it *nāhawisti, the source of Old English nēawist and Old High German nāhwist.^[17]
• *nāhwijan "to approach", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[18] Berr lists the Old Saxon verb nāhian with the adverb.^[14]

Reflexes

• Old English: nēah (“near, close, late, almost, according to”)^[11]
• Old Frisian: nēi (“near, afterwards”)^[15]
• Old Saxon: nāh (“near”)^[19]
• Old Dutch: nah (“after”)^[12]
• Old High German: nāh (“near, nearly, almost”)^[10]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *nāhw
2. ^ a b c d e Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 179
3. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 215
4. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *nēhw
5. ^ a b Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 387
6. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 11
7. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 315
8. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 247
9. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 278
10. ^ 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. nâh
11. ^ a b c Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. nēah
12. ^ a b c Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. nā
13. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 309
14. ^ a b Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. 298
15. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. nei
16. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *nāhwawisti
17. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 305
18. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *nāhwijan
19. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. nāh