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 *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

1. mean, damaging, hurtful
2. unjust, false

Inflection

Declension of *mainaz (a-stem)

Strong declension
Case	Masculine		Feminine		Neuter
	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Nominative	*mainaz	*mainai	*mainō	*mainôz	*mainą, -atō	*mainō
Accusative	*mainanǭ	*mainanz	*mainǭ	*mainōz	*mainą, -atō	*mainō
Genitive	*mainas, -is	*mainaizǫ̂	*mainaizōz	*mainaizǫ̂	*mainas, -is	*mainaizǫ̂
Dative	*mainammai	*mainaimaz	*mainaizōi	*mainaimaz	*mainammai	*mainaimaz
Instrumental	*mainanō	*mainaimiz	*mainaizō	*mainaimiz	*mainanō	*mainaimiz
Weak declension
Case	Masculine		Feminine		Neuter
	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Nominative	*mainô	*mainaniz	*mainǭ	*mainōniz	*mainô	*mainōnō
Accusative	*mainanų	*mainanunz	*mainōnų	*mainōnunz	*mainô	*mainōnō
Genitive	*maininiz	*mainanǫ̂	*mainōniz	*mainōnǫ̂	*maininiz	*mainanǫ̂
Dative	*mainini	*mainammaz	*mainōni	*mainōmaz	*mainini	*mainammaz
Instrumental	*maininē	*mainammiz	*mainōnē	*mainōmiz	*maininē	*mainammiz

Derived terms

• *mainaiþaz (“false oath”)
• *mainijaną

Related terms

• *mainą
• *mainō

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-