Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/þegnaz

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

Often compared with Ancient Greek τέκνον (téknon, “child”). Kroonen instead sees a derivation from *þigjaną (“to request, beg”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈθeɣ.nɑz/

Noun

*þegnaz m

retainer, servant

Inflection

masculine a-stemDeclension of *þegnaz (masculine a-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*þegnaz	þegnōz, þegnōs
vocative	*þegn	þegnōz, þegnōs
accusative	*þegną	*þegnanz
genitive	þegnas, þignis	*þegnǫ̂
dative	*þignai	*þegnamaz
instrumental	*þegnō	*þegnamiz

Descendants

Proto-West Germanic: *þegn
- Old English: þeġn, þægn
  - Middle English: theyn, dain, thain, thayn, thein, þen, þein, þeyn; ðæin, þægen, þægn, þegen, þegn, þeȝn, þeign (Early Middle English)
    - English: thane
    - Scots: thane
    - → Irish: taen
  - → Medieval Latin: thainus
- Old Saxon: thegan
- Old Dutch: *thegen (in derivatives and compounds)
  - Middle Dutch: dēgen
    - Dutch: degen
- Old High German: degan
  - Middle High German: dëgen
    - German: Degen
Old Norse: þegn
- Icelandic: þegn
- Old Swedish: þæghn, þiæghn
  - Swedish: tegn, tägn