Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/maganą

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Alternative reconstructions

*muganą, *mage (3sg.), *mugunþ (3pl.)^[1]
*magą^[2]

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *(me)mógʰe, from *megʰ-. Cognate with Proto-Slavic *moťi.^[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈmɑ.ɣɑ.nɑ̃/

Verb

*maganą

to be able, may

Inflection

Conjugation of *maganą (preterite-present)

present tense	indicative	subjunctive	imperative	indicative	subjunctive
	active voice			passive voice
1st singular	*mag	*magį̄	—	—	—
2nd singular	*maht	*magīz	—	—	—
3rd singular	*mag	*magī	—	—	—
1st dual	*magū	*magīw	—	—	—
2nd dual	*magudiz	*magīdiz	—	—	—
1st plural	*magum	*magīm	—	—	—
2nd plural	*magud	*magīd	—	—	—
3rd plural	*magun	*magīn	—	—	—

past tense	indicative	subjunctive
1st singular	*mahtǭ	*mahtēdį̄
2nd singular	*mahtēz	*mahtēdīz
3rd singular	*mahtē	*mahtēdī
1st dual	*mahtēdū	*mahtēdīw
2nd dual	*mahtēdudiz	*mahtēdīdiz
1st plural	*mahtēdum	*mahtēdīm
2nd plural	*mahtēdud	*mahtēdīd
3rd plural	*mahtēdun	*mahtēdīn

	present	past
participles	*magandz	*mahtaz

Usage notes

The main distinction between *kunnaną and *maganą is that the former deals with one's own capabilities, whereas the latter indicates ability due to favourable circumstances not under one's control.

Derived terms

Descendants

Proto-West Germanic: *magan
- Old English: magan, *mugan, *meġan
  - Middle English: mowen (mostly from analogical *mugan)
    - English: may
    - Scots: mey, may, ma
    - Yola: mye, mey, meigh, mai, maa, ma
- Old Frisian: muga
  - North Frisian:
    Föhr-Amrum: mei
    Mooring: mooge
  - Saterland Frisian: muuge
  - West Frisian: meie
- Old Saxon: mugan
  - Middle Low German: mogen, mögen
    - Low German: mögen, mägen
      German Low German: mögen
- Old Dutch: mugan
  - Middle Dutch: mōgen
    - Dutch: mogen
      - Afrikaans: mag
    - Limburgish: moge
- Old High German: mugan
  - Middle High German: mugen, mogen, magen, megen, mügen, mögen
    - Alemannic German: möge
    - Bavarian: megn
    - Central Franconian: mugge
    - Cimbrian: mögan, möng (Luserna)
    - German: mögen
      - → Central Franconian: müjje
    - Rhine Franconian:
      Pennsylvania German: meege
    - Yiddish: מעגן (megn)
Proto-Norse:
- Old Norse: mega
  - Icelandic: mega
  - Faroese: mega
  - Norwegian Nynorsk: moga; (dialectal) mågå, måga, mòge
  - Old Danish: mughu, mughe
  - Old Swedish: magha, mugha, mogha
    - Swedish: må
  - ⇒ Old Norse: mátti
    - Norwegian Nynorsk: måtta (infinitive), måtte
    - Norwegian Bokmål: måtte (also infinitive)
    - Old Swedish: mātte, māte
      - Swedish: måtte
    - Danish: måtte (also infinitive)
  - ⇒ Old Norse: má
    - Icelandic: má
    - Faroese: má
    - Norwegian Nynorsk: må
    - Norwegian Bokmål: må
    - Old Swedish: mā
      - Swedish: må
    - Danish: må
Gothic: 𐌼𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌽 (magan)

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Guus Kroonen (2013) “*mugan-”, in Alexander Lubotsky, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 373
^ Vladimir Orel (2003) “*maʒa”, in A Handbook of Germanic Etymology‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 252

[EDPG-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Guus Kroonen (2013) “*mugan-”, in Alexander Lubotsky, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 11)‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 373

[2] Vladimir Orel (2003) “*maʒa”, in A Handbook of Germanic Etymology‎, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 252

[1]

[2]