< Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic

Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/līną

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

Likely from Proto-Indo-European *līno-.

Cognates include Latin līnum and all its derivatives.

Although Greek λίνον (línon), Latin linas, Russian лён (ljon) are sometimes listed as cognates, they actually derive from *lino- with a short /i/.

Considering also the existence of a Latin root with a short /i/ and a /t/ (linteum), reconstruction of a common PIE protoform is impossible, and no similarly sounding terms are attested outside of Europe.

If such roots were borrowed from one or several non-IE languages, locating the source is impossible because cultivation of linen was ubiquitous in the region since the Neolithic.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈliː.nɑ̃/

Noun

*līną n

  1. flax
    Synonyms: *flahsą, *hazwaz

Inflection

neuter a-stemDeclension of *līną (neuter a-stem)
singular plural
nominative *līną *līnō
vocative *līną *līnō
accusative *līną *līnō
genitive *līnas, *līnis *līnǫ̂
dative *līnai *līnamaz
instrumental *līnō *līnamiz

Descendants

  • Proto-West Germanic: *līn
    • Old English: līn
    • Old Frisian: līn
      • Saterland Frisian: Lien
      • West Frisian: lyn
    • Old Saxon: līn
      • Middle Low German: lîn
        • German Low German: Lien
    • Old Dutch: *līn
    • Old High German: līn
  • Proto-Norse: ᛚᛁᚾᚨ (lina)
  • Gothic: 𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌽 (lein)
  • Proto-Finnic: *liina (see there for further descendants)
  • Proto-Samic: *lijnē
    • Kildin Sami: лыййн (lyjjn)
    • Northern Sami: liidni
    • Southern Sami: lijnie

Further reading

  • De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “līnum”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 344
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