*ainag

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *ainag "only, sole" for Proto-West Germanic.^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *ainagaz (“only, sole”),^[1] which Orel cites as *ainaʒaz and derives from *ainaz "one", comparing the similar formation of Latin ūnicus.^[2] Wiktionary analyses the West Germanic word as *ain "one" with the suffix *-g.^[1] Orel traces Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌷𐍃 (ainahs) to a variant *ainaxaz,^[2][3] and Köbler too starts from a form with *-h-, *ainaha-.^[4]

Morphology

An adjective, which also served as an indefinite pronoun.^[5][6] EWA holds that the suffix of Old High German einag is the older one and probably the original, since it normally attaches to a- and u-stems, while that of einīg goes with i-stems; apart from one early instance, this form appears only from Otfrid on.^[7] Boutkan and Siebinga take Old Frisian ēnich for a derivative of ēn (“one”) in *-ih-.^[8]

Evidence

The word is attested in Old English ǣnig and Old English ānga, Old Frisian ēnich, Old Saxon ēnag and Old High German einag.^[7][5] Old Saxon has ēnag (“only”), glossing Latin ūnicus in the Heliand, apart from ēnig (“any”), which is frequent there.^[4][9] Old English ānga (“only, sole”) also glosses ūnicus.^[10] Old High German has the word from the last quarter of the 8th century.^[6]

Competing analyses

Orel lists an Old High German noun einago (“hermit, monk”);^[2] EWA reports that this gloss word, once read as a noun "one who lives alone, monk", is now assigned to the adjective einīg.^[7]

Meanings

1. only, sole^[1][2]

Old English ǣnig and Old Frisian ēnich mean "any",^[5][11] though Old Frisian also has the adjective "only";^[11] Old High German used the word for "only, single, own" and "any".^[7]

Reflexes

• Old English: ǣnig (“any”), ānga (“only, sole”)^[5][10]
• Old Frisian: ēnich (“any; only”)^[11]
• Old Saxon: ēnag (“only”)^[4]
• Old High German: einag (“only, single, own, any”)^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *ainag
2. ^ a b c d Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 8
3. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *ainagaz
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. ênag
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. ǣnig
6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. einīg
7. ^ 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. einag
8. ^ Boutkan, Dirk; Siebinga, Sjoerd Michiel (2005), Old Frisian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 1, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. enich
9. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. ênig
10. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. ānga
11. ^ a b c Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. ēnich