Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/mainaz

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

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *meh₂y-, which could be reduced from *(s)meh₂- (“to beckon”) +‎ *-yeti. See also Latin maereo (“I am mournful”), Sanskrit मेनि (meni, “wrath, punishment”), Proto-Slavic *mamiti (“to deceive”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈmɑi̯.nɑz/

Adjective

*mainaz

mean, damaging, hurtful
unjust, false

Inflection

Declension of *mainaz (a-stem)
Strong declension
	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*mainaz	*mainō	*mainą, -atō	*mainai	*mainôz	*mainō
accusative	*mainanǭ	*mainǭ	*mainą, -atō	*mainanz	*mainōz	*mainō
genitive	*mainas, -is	*mainaizōz	*mainas, -is	*mainaizǫ̂	*mainaizǫ̂	*mainaizǫ̂
dative	*mainammai	*mainaizōi	*mainammai	*mainaimaz	*mainaimaz	*mainaimaz
instrumental	*mainanō	*mainaizō	*mainanō	*mainaimiz	*mainaimiz	*mainaimiz

Weak declension
	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*mainô	*mainǭ	*mainô	*mainaniz	*mainōniz	*mainōnō
accusative	*mainanų	*mainōnų	*mainô	*mainanunz	*mainōnunz	*mainōnō
genitive	*maininiz	*mainōniz	*maininiz	*mainanǫ̂	*mainōnǫ̂	*mainanǫ̂
dative	*mainini	*mainōni	*mainini	*mainammaz	*mainōmaz	*mainammaz
instrumental	*maininē	*mainōnē	*maininē	*mainammiz	*mainōmiz	*mainammiz

Derived terms

*mainaiþaz (“false oath”)
*mainijaną

Related terms

Descendants

Most later descendants confused and merged this word with the descendants of *gamainiz (“common”).

Proto-West Germanic: *main
- Old English: mān
  - Middle English: man, mon, mone; (mene)
    - (English: mean)
    - (Scots: mene, mein)
- Old Frisian: mēn
  - Saterland Frisian: meen; (gemeen)
  - West Frisian: mien; (gemien)
- Old Saxon: *mēn
  - Middle Low German: mên, mein; (gemêne, gemeine)
    - (German Low German: gemeen)
- Old Dutch: *mēn
  - Middle Dutch: meen, mein; (gemeene)
    - (Dutch: gemeen)
      - (Afrikaans: gemeen)
- Old High German: mein
  - Middle High German: mein, meine; (gemein)
    - German: mein (arhcaic); (gemein)
Old Norse: meinn
- Icelandic: meinn
- Faroese: meinur
- Norwegian Nynorsk: mein, mein-

References

^ Pokorny, Julius (1959) “2. mei-”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 710
^ De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “358”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page maereō

[1] Pokorny, Julius (1959) “2. mei-”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 710

[EDL-2] De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “358”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page maereō