Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-jaz

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 1

From Proto-Indo-European *-yós (agent suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jɑz/

Suffix

*-jaz m

1. -er, agent suffix

Inflection

masculine ja-stemDeclension of *-jaz (masculine ja-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*-jaz	*-jōz, *-jōs
vocative	*-i	*-jōz, *-jōs
accusative	*-ją	*-janz
genitive	*-jas, *-is	*-jǫ̂
dative	*-jai	*-jamaz
instrumental	*-jō	*-jamiz

Descendants

• Proto-Norse: -ᛃᚨᛉ (-jaʀ)
  • Old Norse: -ir

Alternate forms

• *-az (when not being attached to class 1 weak verbs)

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Indo-European *-yós. Cognate with Latin -ius, Ancient Greek -ιος (-ios), Sanskrit -य (-ya).

Suffix

*-jaz

1. Nominal suffix denoting origin or descent.

Usage notes

• Following a short stem, which consists of a short vowel followed by a single consonant, the suffix remains *-jaz, but following a long stem, which has either a long vowel or diphthong, or a short vowel followed by several consonants it becomes *-ijaz. This phenomenon is called Sievers's law.

Inflection

masculine ja-stemDeclension of *-jaz (masculine ja-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*-jaz	*-jōz, *-jōs
vocative	*-i	*-jōz, *-jōs
accusative	*-ją	*-janz
genitive	*-jas, *-is	*-jǫ̂
dative	*-jai	*-jamaz
instrumental	*-jō	*-jamiz

Descendants

• Proto-Norse: -ᛃᚨᛉ (-jaʀ)