Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/nessais
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This Proto-Celtic 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-Celtic[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Proto-Indo-European *Hnedʰ-so- or *Hnedʰ-to-, from *Hnedʰ- (“to bind”); compare Sanskrit नहुस् (náhus, “neighbor”) and नह्यति (náhyati, “to bind”).[1]
The superlative *nessamos is cognate with Oscan nessimas and Umbrian 𐌍𐌄𐌔𐌉𐌌𐌄𐌉 (nesimei, “nearest”).[2]
A different etymology is given by Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, which connects it with Proto-Indo-Iranian *názdyas (“nearer”) (Sanskrit नेदीयस् (nedīyas), Avestan 𐬥𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬌𐬌𐬋 (nazdiiō)), from Proto-Indo-European *nésdyos (“nearer”), from the root *nesd- (“near”).[3] However, Proto-Celtic *swizdeti and *nizdos show that Proto-Indo-European *-sd- becomes Proto-Celtic *-zd-, which in turn becomes /θ/ in Brythonic and /d/ in Goidelic (compare also *kʷezdis becoming Gaulish *pettyā, Welsh peth and Irish cuid). It does not become Gaulish -ꟈꟈ- and Insular Celtic *-ss-. The Osco-Umbrian cognates are also inconsistent with this hypothesis.
Adjective[edit]
*nessais
Usage notes[edit]
Forms a suppletive comparative to *adgostus (“near”).
Alternative reconstructions[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
- *nessamos (superlative)
Descendants[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Matasović, Ranko (2009) “*nesso-”, in Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, pages 289–290
- ^ Pedersen, Holger (1909) Vergleichende Grammatik der keltischen Sprachen (in German), volume I, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, →ISBN, page 80
- ^ R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “nes”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
- ^ Jasanoff, Jay (1991) “The origin of the Celtic comparative type OIr. tressa, MW trech ‘stronger’”, in Die Sprache, volume 34, pages 171-189