*-ōstaz
Runic: ᛟᛊᛏᚨᛉ Pronunciation: /ɔːs.tɑz/suffix · forms adjectives · a-stem
Function
like English “-est”; forms superlative adjectives, chiefly from regular a-stem adjectives (cf. the comparative suffix *-ōzô)
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *-ōzô, remodeled after the inherited pair *-izô : *-istaz. The deeper model is Proto-Indo-European *-is-to-, consisting of the zero grade *-is- of the primary comparative/elative suffix *-yos- ~ *-is- plus an old ordinal/superlative dental element *-tó- (Fulk 2018: 218–20; Meier-Brügger 2003: 219–22; Ringe 2017: 316–18). In the comparative suffixes, PIE posttonic *s regularly became Pgmc *z by Verner’s Law, giving *-izô and *-ōzô, while the *s remained voiceless before *t in the superlatives *-istaz and *-ōstaz.
The *-ō of *-ōstaz is specifically Germanic. Fulk (2018: 218) follows the traditional explanation that *-ōzô arose when *-iz was added to adverbs in *-ō, later spreading from adverbs to adjectives, but notes that it is uncertain; Ringe (2017: 317) is more cautious, stating that the exact preform is not recoverable, but that the suffix contracted with a preceding vowel and then spread by morphological remodeling. As a result, the suffix *-ōstaz has no exact non-Germanic cognate; the IE comparanda belong to the inherited *-is-to- superlative type.
Note that *-istaz was the usual superlative suffix for i-, u-, and ja-stem adjectives and was also used with some a/ō-stems, while *-ōstaz was only used with a/ō-stems. In the Northwest Germanic branches *-ōzô/*-ōstaz became much more productive, while *-izô/*-istaz often survived only as relics (Fulk 2018: 218–20; Ringe 2017: 317).
Paradigm
Strong declension
| Case | Sg. Masc. | Sg. Fem. | Sg. Neut. | Pl. Masc. | Pl. Fem. | Pl. Neut. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | -ōstaz | -ōstō | -ōstą, -atō | -ōstai | -ōstôz | -ōstō |
| Acc. | -ōstanǭ | -ōstǭ | -ōstą, -atō | -ōstanz | -ōstōz | -ōstō |
| Gen. | -ōstas, -is | -ōstaizōz | -ōstas, -is | -ōstaizǫ̂ | -ōstaizǫ̂ | -ōstaizǫ̂ |
| Dat. | -ōstammai | -ōstaizōi | -ōstammai | -ōstaimaz | -ōstaimaz | -ōstaimaz |
| Inst. | -ōstanō | -ōstaizō | -ōstanō | -ōstaimiz | -ōstaimiz | -ōstaimiz |
Weak declension
| Case | Sg. Masc. | Sg. Fem. | Sg. Neut. | Pl. Masc. | Pl. Fem. | Pl. Neut. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | -ōstô | -ōstǭ | -ōstô | -ōstaniz | -ōstōniz | -ōstōnō |
| Acc. | -ōstanų | -ōstōnų | -ōstô | -ōstanunz | -ōstōnunz | -ōstōnō |
| Gen. | -ōstiniz | -ōstōniz | -ōstiniz | -ōstanǫ̂ | -ōstōnǫ̂ | -ōstanǫ̂ |
| Dat. | -ōstini | -ōstōni | -ōstini | -ōstammaz | -ōstōmaz | -ōstammaz |
| Inst. | -ōstinē | -ōstōnē | -ōstinē | -ōstammiz | -ōstōmiz | -ōstammiz |
Descendants
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-ōst (Proto-West Germanic)
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-ost (Old Dutch)
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-st (Middle Dutch)
- -st (Dutch)
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-st (Middle Dutch)
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-ost (Old Dutch)
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-ōst (Proto-West Germanic)
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-ōst (Old English)
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-ast, -est, -ist (Middle English)
- -est (English)
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-ast, -est, -ist (Middle English)
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-ōst (Old English)
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-ōst (Proto-West Germanic)
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-ōst (Old English)
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-ast, -est (Middle Scots)
- -est (Scots)
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-ast, -est (Middle Scots)
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-ōst (Old English)
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-ōst (Proto-West Germanic)
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-ost (Old Frisian)
- -st (West Frisian)
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-ost (Old Frisian)
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-ōst (Proto-West Germanic)
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-ôst (Old High German)
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-est (Middle High German)
- -st (German)
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-est (Middle High German)
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-ôst (Old High German)
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-ōst (Proto-West Germanic)
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-ôst (Old Saxon)
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-est (Middle Low German)
- -st (Low German)
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-est (Middle Low German)
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-ôst (Old Saxon)
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*-ᛟᛊᛏᚨᛉ (*-ostaʀ) (Proto-Norse)
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-astr (Old Norse)
- -est (Danish)
- -astur (Faroese)
- -astur (Icelandic)
- -est (Norwegian)
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-astr (Old Norse)
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*-ᛟᛊᛏᚨᛉ (*-ostaʀ) (Proto-Norse)
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-astr (Old Norse)
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-aster (Old Swedish)
- -ast (Swedish)
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-aster (Old Swedish)
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-astr (Old Norse)
- -𐍉𐍃𐍄𐍃 (-ōsts) (Gothic)