*niþer

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *niþer "down, downwards" for Proto-West Germanic.^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *niþer (“down, downwards”),^[1][2] which Kroonen cites as the adverb *niþera-, Orel as *niþr(a), Köbler as *niþra and EWA as *ni-þer-a(m).^[2][3][4][5] Kroonen explains it as an adverb formed with a contrastive suffix,^[2] and Berr calls it a comparative formation.^[6]

Morphology

An adverb.^[2][7] In Old High German nidar is also a preposition with the dative, "under", and forms a comparative nidarōr and a superlative nidarōst.^[5] Old Frisian has the adverb with comparative sense.^[8] The adverb is common as the first part of compound verbs: Old English has niþerfeallan and niþersettan,^[7] Old Saxon nitharfallan and nitharfaran,^[9] and Old High German nidarfallan and nidarfaran.^[10]

Evidence

EWA finds direct cognates of the adverb in both West and North Germanic.^[5] It is attested as Old English niþer, also neþer and nyþer,^[7] Old Frisian nither, also nether and neder,^[8] Old Saxon nithar in the Heliand,^[9] and Old High German nidar, first in a Bavarian gloss in a manuscript of the beginning of the 9th century.^[5] For Old Dutch, Köbler lists ⟨nither⟩ glossing Latin subter in a manuscript in Brussels, which he also counts as Old Saxon.^[11][9]

Meanings

1. down, downwards^[1][2]

Old English used the adverb for "below",^[7] and Old High German also for "beneath, lower" and, with the dative, "under".^[5]

Derivatives

• *niþarōn "to make lower, to humiliate", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[1] Orel derives Proto-Germanic *niþrōjanan from the adverb, with Old English niþerian (“to bring low”), Old Frisian nithria and Old Saxon nitharōn "to abase".^[3]

Reflexes

• Old English: niþer (“below, down”)^[7]
• Old Frisian: nither (“down”)^[12]
• Old Saxon: nithar (“down, downward”)^[6]
• Old Dutch: nither (“beneath”)^[11]
• Old High German: nidar (“below, down, downwards; under”)^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *niþer
2. ^ a b c d e Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 391
3. ^ a b Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 288
4. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *niþra
5. ^ a b c d e f 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. nidar
6. ^ a b Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. 304
7. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. niþer
8. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. -nither
9. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. nithar
10. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. nidar
11. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard, Altniederfränkisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *nither?
12. ^ Bremmer, Rolf H., Jr. (2009), An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins, p. 206