*tilōn

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *tilōn for Proto-West Germanic.^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *tilōną (“to reach a goal”),^[2][3] which Köbler cites as *tilōn;^[4] Ringe and Taylor compare Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍄𐌹𐌻𐍉𐌽 (gatilōn, “to attain”).^[3][5] Wiktionary derives it from Proto-Germanic *tilą (“goal”) and *-ōną,^[5] a noun that Kroonen reconstructs as *tila- "planned point in time".^[6]

Morphology

A weak verb of class II.^[7][8] Ringe and Taylor count it among the inherited class II verbs that appear in class III in Old High German: there the verb is mostly zilēn, much less often zilōn.^[2] Köbler counts 48 records of the class III verb against 8 of the class II verb.^[9][10]

Evidence

The verb is attested in Old English tilian, Old Frisian tilia, Old Saxon tilian and Old High German zilōn,^[3] and Old Dutch tilon, in the Old Low Franconian psalms and glosses of the 10th century.^[11] The single Old Saxon record is the infinitive in the Heliand.^[7] Ringe and Taylor derive Old English *tilung "care", early West Saxon tiolung, Mercian teolung (“effort”), from the verb.^[3] Köbler sets up a Lombard *zilōn, with a query, on the strength of Italian dialect words for "to hurry".^[12]

Meanings

1. to reach a goal, to hit the mark^[2][3]
2. to strive, to aim, to hurry^[1][4]

Old English also used the verb for "to obtain, to work, to cultivate, to heal",^[13] Old Frisian for "to beget" and "to cultivate",^[14] and Old High German for "to strive for, to hasten".^[2]

Reflexes

• Old English: tilian (“to strive, to obtain, to work, to cultivate”)^[13]
• Old Frisian: tilia (“to beget, to cultivate”)^[14]
• Old Saxon: tilōn (“to attain, to reach”)^[15]
• Old Dutch: tilon (“to strive, to hurry”)^[11]
• Old High German: zilōn (“to strive, to aim, to hurry”)^[10]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *tilōn
2. ^ a b c d Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 95
3. ^ a b c d e Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 321
4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *tilōn
5. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *tilōną
6. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 517
7. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. tilōn
8. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. tilian
9. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. zilēn
10. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. zilōn
11. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. tilon
12. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *zilōn?
13. ^ a b Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. tilian
14. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. tilia
15. ^ Berr, Samuel (1971), An Etymological Glossary to the Old Saxon Heliand, Berne / Frankfurt: Herbert Lang, p. 399