Re: [tied] Re: Kastamonitu

From: Piotr Gasiorowski
Message: 15277
Date: 2002-09-08

This suffix resulted from morphological reanalysis in reletively recent times. The original "made-of" suffix is -(e)n from PGmc. *-i:n-, as in <golden> (arch. <gülden>). <kupfern> or <silbern> are of course based on <Kupfer> and <Silber> and should be cut into <kupfer-n> and <silber-n> accordingly. <eisern> is a haplological shortening of expected *eisern-en from OHG i:sarn-i:n (Goth. eisarn-ein-s). Since a number of such adjectives ended in <-ern>, the native speakers' Sprachgefühl converted it into a productive suffix.
 
Piotr
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: George S t a n a
To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2002 1:09 PM
Subject: [tied] Re: Kastamonitu


How about the German "-ern", as in "ehern/eisern, stählern,
blechern, kupfern, bleiern..." (= made of these metals or
metal-like)?