*hannju

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *hannju "hen" for Proto-West Germanic.^[1] EWA sets up the West Germanic form as an n-stem, *χanni̯ōn-.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *hanjō (“hen”),^[1][3] which Köbler cites as *hanjō and, in his Old English dictionary, also as *hannjō, *hannjōn.^[3][4] EWA explains the word as a formation of appurtenance with the suffix *-i̯ō- to the Proto-Germanic word for the cock, which it writes *χanan-,^[2] Kroonen's *hanan- "rooster, singer".^[5] Holthausen likewise puts henn with hana (“cock”).^[6]

Morphology

A feminine noun: Old English has a strong feminine jō-stem,^[4] and Old High German henna is declined both as a strong and as a weak noun.^[2]

Evidence

The word is attested as Old English henn "hen, chicken",^[6] Old Frisian hanne, also henne,^[7] and Old High German henna, which is found in glosses from the 9th century.^[2] Köbler sets up an uncertain Old Dutch *henna for Old Dutch,^[8] and Wiktionary gives Old Saxon only a reconstructed *hennia.^[1] EWA adds Middle Dutch henne.^[2]

Competing analyses

Köbler traces Old Frisian hanne to an i-stem *haneni-, which he compares with Old High German henin,^[7] and for Old English henn he gives *hannjō, *hannjōn and *haneni- side by side.^[4]

Meanings

1. hen^[1][2]

Reflexes

• Old English: henn (“hen, chicken”)^[6]
• Old Frisian: hanne (“hen”)^[7]
• Old Dutch: *henna (“hen”)^[8]
• Old High German: henna (“hen”)^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hannju
2. ^ 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. henna
3. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *hanjō
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. hėnn
5. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 207
6. ^ a b c Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. henn
7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altfriesisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. hanne
8. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard, Altniederfränkisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *henna?