*stillī

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs the adjective *stillī "still, quiet" for Proto-West Germanic.^[1] EWA sets up West Germanic *stilli̯a-.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *stelljaz (“still, quiet”) in Orel's reconstruction, probably derived from the strong verb *stelanan in an original sense "to stretch".^[3] Köbler also sets up Proto-Germanic *stellja-, *stelljaz.^[4] EWA notes that the geminate ⟨-ll-⟩ of the word group is secondary, as the Old Norse past participle stiltr (“calm, controlled”) shows.^[2]

Morphology

A ja-stem adjective.^[5] The Heliand has the comparative ⟨stilrun⟩ in the nominative plural masculine.^[6]

Evidence

The adjective is attested in Old English stille,^[7] Old Frisian stille,^[8] Old Saxon stilli^[9] and Old High German stilli, from the 8th century.^[2] Old Dutch has it only in place names and as a byname,^[2] and ONW records ⟨Stilla⟩ as the byname of one Walter in West Flemish charters of 1120–1200.^[10] EWA takes the North Germanic adjectives, such as Danish stille, for loans from Middle Low German.^[2]

Competing analyses

Orel sets up a Proto-Germanic adjective and lists a Burgundian *stiljis "quiet" beside the West Germanic forms.^[3] EWA instead treats the adjective as West Germanic, back-formed from the more widely attested verb, Proto-Germanic *steli̯e/a-.^[2] It reports that the adjective is usually traced to an earlier *stelni- or *stellu-, but argues that adjectives in *-ni- show no inherited e-grade.^[2] Köbler gives the Old Frisian adjective a West Germanic source *stellja-,^[11] but the Old English and Old Saxon adjectives a Germanic one.^[5][6]

Meanings

1. still, quiet^[1][4]

Old English also used the adjective for "constant, gentle, secret",^[7] and Old High German for "undisturbed, mild, calm, peaceful, unchangeable", and in the phrase stilli sîn for "to be silent".^[2]

Derivatives

• *stillijan "to make still, quiet", which Wiktionary reconstructs from the adjective;^[12] Orel likewise derives Proto-Germanic *stelljanan from *stelljaz, with Old English stillan, Old Saxon stillian and Old High German stillen.^[3]
• *stillēn "to be quiet, to become quiet", which Wiktionary reconstructs from the adjective;^[13] Köbler sets up Proto-Germanic *stellēn for Old High German stillēn.^[14]
• *stillinassī "stillness, silence", which Wiktionary reconstructs from Old English stilnes and its cognates.^[15]

Reflexes

• Old English: stille (“still, quiet, constant, gentle, secret”)^[7]
• Old Frisian: stille (“still”)^[8]
• Old Saxon: stilli (“quiet”)^[9]
• Old Dutch: Stilla (“still”)^[10]
• Old High German: stilli (“still, calm, undisturbed, mild, peaceful”)^[2]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *stillī
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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. stilli
3. ^ a b c Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 374
4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *stellja-, *stelljaz
5. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. stille
6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. stilli
7. ^ a b c Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. stille
8. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. stille
9. ^ a b Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. 381
10. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. stilli
11. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altfriesisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. stille
12. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *stillijan
13. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *stillēn
14. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *stellēn, *stellǣn
15. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *stillinassī