*opanōn

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *opanōn "to open" for Proto-West Germanic.^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *upanōną (“to open”),^[2][3] which Köbler writes *upenōn, *upanōn,^[3] and Orel *upanōjanan, derived from the adjective *upanaz ~ *upenaz.^[4] EWA too calls the verb a derivative of the adjective, from Proto-Germanic *upanōi̯e/a-.^[5] Wiktionary analyses it as *opan "open" with the suffix *-ōn.^[1] The o of the root goes back to the Northwest Germanic lowering of stressed *u before a non-high vowel in the next syllable, which Ringe and Taylor illustrate with Proto-Northwest Germanic *upanaz "open", Old English and Old Frisian open, Old Saxon opan and Old High German offan.^[6]

Morphology

A weak verb of class II.^[7][5]

Evidence

The verb is attested in all the West Germanic languages: Old English openian,^[8] Old Frisian epenia,^[9] Old Saxon opanōn in the Heliand,^[7] Old Dutch opanen in Williram's commentary on the Song of Songs of about 1100 and in the Middle Franconian Rhyme Bible,^[10] and Old High German offanōn in the Abrogans and many other texts.^[5] Old Norse has opna.^[5][4]

Meanings

1. to open^[1]

Old English also used the verb for "to make clear",^[8] and Old High German for "to reveal, to disclose, to make known".^[5]

Reflexes

• Old English: openian (“to open, to make clear”)^[8]
• Old Frisian: epenia (“to open”)^[9]
• Old Saxon: opanōn (“to open”)^[7]
• Old Dutch: opanen (“to open, to reveal”)^[10][5]
• Old High German: offanōn (“to open, to reveal, to disclose”)^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *opanōn
2. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *upanōną
3. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *upenōn
4. ^ a b Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 435
5. ^ a b c d e f g 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. offanôn
6. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 27
7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. opanōn
8. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. openian
9. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. epenia
10. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. opanen