Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-iz

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /iz/

Suffix

*-iz (adjective *-izô)

1. -er. Forms the comparative of certain adverbs.

Usage notes

This was the normal comparative suffix for all i-, u- and ja-stem adverbs. The regular a-stem adverbs sometimes used this suffix, and sometimes the related suffix *-ōz without any predictable rule.

Derived terms

Proto-Germanic comparative adverbs

Descendants

Most of these descendants eventually replaced the suffix with the equivalent from the adjectives, because the older adverbial suffix was no longer distinctive after the loss of final *-iz.

• Old English: -
  • English: -er
• Old Frisian: -
  • West Frisian: -er
• Old Saxon: -
• Old Dutch: -
  • Middle Dutch: -
    • Dutch: -er
• Old High German: -
  • German: -er
• Old Norse: -r
  • Icelandic: -ur
  • Faroese: -ur
• Gothic: -𐌹𐍃 (-is)