𐌽𐌴𐍈

Forms

𐌽𐌴𐍈 (nēƕ), an indeclinable adverb.^[1][2] Its comparative is 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌹𐍃 (nēƕis) "nearer".^[1][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *nēhw (“near, close”).^[4][5] The cognates are Old English nēah, Old Frisian nēi, Old Saxon nāh and Old High German nāh, with Old Norse náligr in Old Norse.^[5][6] Köbler calls the origin obscure, with only uncertain comparisons,^[7] and Lehmann also finds it obscure and possibly a Germanic innovation.^[6] Lehmann mentions a possible link with Latin nancīscor (“to obtain, come upon”) and considers Brugmann's compound analysis less likely;^[6] Orel follows Brugmann, explaining the word as an old compound of a preposition with the root for "eye, sight".^[5] Uhlenbeck, after Zupitza, compares Lithuanian nókti (“to overtake, reach”) and Latvian nākt (“to come”).^[8]

Attestation

The Wulfila project counts one token, at Luke 15:25 in manuscript CA.^[2] There atiddja neƕ "went near" renders the Greek verb ἐγγίζω, "to come near".^[7][6] The comparative nēƕis occurs once, at Romans 13:11 in manuscript A, for Ancient Greek ἐγγύς (engús, “near”).^[9] Luke 15:25 reads qimands atiddja neƕ razn, "coming, he went near the house".^[10]

Meanings

1. near, close by.^[4][11][3]
2. With the accusative: near to.^[12][13]

Word family

• 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌹𐍃 (nēƕis, “nearer”)
• 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌾𐌰𐌽 (nēƕjan, “to approach”)
• 𐌰𐍄𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌾𐌰𐌽 (atnēƕjan, “to come near”)
• 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌿𐌽𐌳𐌾𐌰 (nēƕundja, “neighbour”)

Related words

• 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌰 (nēƕa, “close to, near”)

Usage notes

Schulze compares the pair nēƕ and nēƕa with faur and faura.^[13]

References

1. ^ a b Streitberg, Wilhelm (1910), Die gotische Bibel, II: Gotisch-griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Winter, p. s.v. neƕ
2. ^ a b De Herdt, Tom (2004–2026), Project Wulfila: digital edition of the Gothic Bible with lemma and morphological annotation, data release 2026-09-03, wulfila.be
3. ^ a b Regan, Brian T. (1974), Dictionary of the Biblical Gothic Language, Phoenix: Wulfila House, p. 115
4. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. 𐌽𐌴𐍈
5. ^ a b c Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 286
6. ^ a b c d Lehmann, Winfred P. (1986), A Gothic Etymological Dictionary, based on the third edition of Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache by Sigmund Feist, Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. neƕ
7. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. nēƕ
8. ^ Uhlenbeck, C. C. (1900), Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 2nd ed., Amsterdam: Müller, p. 115
9. ^ Haug, Dag T. T. et al., PROIEL Treebank: The Gothic Bible (gothic-nt), 2023 release, Pragmatic Resources in Old Indo-European Languages, University of Oslo
10. ^ De Herdt, Tom (2004–2026), Project Wulfila: digital edition of the Gothic Bible with lemma and morphological annotation, data release 2026-09-03, wulfila.be, p. Lk 15:25
11. ^ Wright, Joseph (1910), Grammar of the Gothic Language, Oxford: Clarendon Press
12. ^ Stamm, Friedrich Ludwig; Heyne, Moriz (1920), Ulfilas oder die uns erhaltenen Denkmäler der gotischen Sprache: Text, Wörterbuch und Grammatik, 13th–14th ed. by Ferdinand Wrede, Paderborn: Schöningh, p. 457
13. ^ a b Schulze, Ernst (1867), Gothisches Wörterbuch nebst Flexionslehre, Züllichau: Darnmann, p. 134