*an¹
Runic: ᚨᚾ Pronunciation: /ˈɑn/adverb
Meanings
on, onto
Etymology
From the Proto-Indo-European local particle *h₂en-, probably through an extended local/allative adverb *h₂en-o ~ *h₂en-ó, though the exact formation underlying Proto-Germanic *an ~ *ana is disputed. Kroonen (2013: 26) derives Proto-Germanic *ana from *h₂en-h̥₂, with vocalization of final *h̥₂ to *a; the resulting vowel was subsequently lost in simplex forms in individual Germanic languages but preserved in compounds and sometimes analogically restored. On the other hand, Dunkel (2014: 50–54) reconstructs *áno, without the initial laryngeal, and van Beek (2018: 47 n. 33) considers *h₂en-o possible. Compare Proto-Indo-Iranian *Haná, continued by Avestan 𐬀𐬥𐬀 (ana), as well as Ancient Greek ἀνά (aná) and Proto-Italic *ana, though the Greek and Italic forms can alternatively be derived from *h₂en-(e)h₂ (de Vaan 2008: 36; Dunkel 2014: 50–54).
Descendants
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*an, *ana (Proto-West Germanic)
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an, on (Old English)
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an, on, one, onne, hon, ane, æn (Middle English)
- on (English)
- an, on (Scots)
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an, on, one, onne, hon, ane, æn (Middle English)
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an, on (Old English)
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*an, *ana (Proto-West Germanic)
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ana, an, in (Old Dutch)
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āne, āen, an (Middle Dutch)
- aan (Limburgish)
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āne, āen, an (Middle Dutch)
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ana, an, in (Old Dutch)
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*an, *ana (Proto-West Germanic)
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ana, an, in (Old Dutch)
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āne, āen, an (Middle Dutch)
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aan, an (Dutch)
- aan (Afrikaans)
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aan, an (Dutch)
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āne, āen, an (Middle Dutch)
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ana, an, in (Old Dutch)
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*an, *ana (Proto-West Germanic)
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on, an (Old Frisian)
- a (North Frisian)
- an, oun (Saterland Frisian)
- oan (West Frisian)
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on, an (Old Frisian)
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*an, *ana (Proto-West Germanic)
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ana (Old High German)
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ane, an (Middle High German)
- an (German)
- un (Luxembourgish)
- aa (Pennsylvania German)
- אָן (on) (Yiddish)
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ane, an (Middle High German)
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ana (Old High German)
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*an, *ana (Proto-West Germanic)
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ana, an (Old Saxon)
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ane (Middle Low German)
- an (Low German)
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ane (Middle Low German)
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ana, an (Old Saxon)
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ᚨᚾ (an), ᚨᚾᚨ (ana) (Proto-Norse)
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á (Old Norse)
- á (Faroese)
- á (Icelandic)
- å (Norwegian Nynorsk)
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á (Old Norse)
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ᚨᚾ (an) ᚨᚾᚨ (ana) (Proto-Norse)
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á (Old Norse)
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ā (Old Danish)
- å (Danish)
-
ā (Old Danish)
-
á (Old Norse)
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ᚨᚾ (an) ᚨᚾᚨ (ana) (Proto-Norse)
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á (Old Norse)
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ā (Old Swedish)
- å, a (Swedish)
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ā (Old Swedish)
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á (Old Norse)
- 𐌰𐌽𐌰 (ana) (Gothic)
- *ani (Proto-Finnic)