Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/bi

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 Pre-Germanic *h₁pi, zero-grade of Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi (“on, at”), with voicing due to Verner's law. Cognate with Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí, “on, at”).^[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bi/

Preposition

*bi

by, at [with accusative or dative]
near, around [with accusative or dative]

Descendants

Proto-West Germanic: *bī
- Old English: bi, be
  - Middle English: by, be, bi
    - English: by
      - → Mandarin: by (bāi), BY (bāi)
    - Scots: by, bye, bi', be, b'
    - Yola: bee, bie, be, by
- Old Frisian: bi, be
  - North Frisian: bi
  - Saterland Frisian: bie
  - West Frisian: by
- Old Saxon: bi, bī
  - Middle Low German: bi
    - Low German: bi
      - → Swedish: bi
- Old Dutch: bī
  - Middle Dutch: bi
    - Dutch: bij
    - Limburgish: bie
- Old High German: bī, pī
  - Middle High German: bī
    - Alemannic German: bii
    - German: bei
    - Vilamovian: by
    - Yiddish: בײַ (bay)
Gothic: 𐌱𐌹 (bi)

References

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

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

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