Likely from earlier *nīgwala-, denominative adjective from pre-Germanic *nih₃kʷ- (“looking down, facing down”), compound of Proto-Indo-European *ni (“down”) and *h₃ekʷ- (“to see”). Compare Sanskrit नीच (nīca, “below, down”). For a similar formation, see Ancient Greek ὀπιπεύω (opipeúō) < *h₁opi-h₃kʷ-.
*nīwalaz
Strong declension | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |||
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |
Nominative | *nīwalaz | *nīwalai | *nīwalō | *nīwalôz | *nīwalą, -atō | *nīwalō |
Accusative | *nīwalanǭ | *nīwalanz | *nīwalǭ | *nīwalōz | *nīwalą, -atō | *nīwalō |
Genitive | *nīwalas, -is | *nīwalaizǫ̂ | *nīwalaizōz | *nīwalaizǫ̂ | *nīwalas, -is | *nīwalaizǫ̂ |
Dative | *nīwalammai | *nīwalaimaz | *nīwalaizōi | *nīwalaimaz | *nīwalammai | *nīwalaimaz |
Instrumental | *nīwalanō | *nīwalaimiz | *nīwalaizō | *nīwalaimiz | *nīwalanō | *nīwalaimiz |
Weak declension | ||||||
Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |||
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |
Nominative | *nīwalô | *nīwalaniz | *nīwalǭ | *nīwalōniz | *nīwalô | *nīwalōnō |
Accusative | *nīwalanų | *nīwalanunz | *nīwalōnų | *nīwalōnunz | *nīwalô | *nīwalōnō |
Genitive | *nīwaliniz | *nīwalanǫ̂ | *nīwalōniz | *nīwalōnǫ̂ | *nīwaliniz | *nīwalanǫ̂ |
Dative | *nīwalini | *nīwalammaz | *nīwalōni | *nīwalōmaz | *nīwalini | *nīwalammaz |
Instrumental | *nīwalinē | *nīwalammiz | *nīwalōnē | *nīwalōmiz | *nīwalinē | *nīwalammiz |