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 -----
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)?