Ancestors

Written by Yoïn van Spijk on 2025-01-22 at 19:35

There are two types of words for 9 in the Germanic languages.

Type 1 is g-less:

e.g. German 'neun', Swedish 'nio'.

Type 2 does have a g:

e.g. Dutch 'negen', Frisian 'njoggen'.

You'd think that English 'nine' is type 1, but it used to have a g too: in Old English, it was 'nigon'. It lost its g in Middle English.

So did 'neun' and 'nio' lose their g too?

No, they've never had one.

The g only evolved in the north-western branch of West Germanic.

My new graphic tells you all about it.

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Written by Noortje Van Leeuwen on 2025-01-23 at 06:30

@yvanspijk didnt nine lose the g due to them wanting to sound more roman, during the same time when iland became island?

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Written by Yoïn van Spijk on 2025-01-23 at 09:32

@noortjevee No, as the box on the right explains, it was a regular sound change within English, not induced by any other language. Other examples are 'boga' > 'bow', 'lagu' > 'law', 'āgen' > 'own', 'mearg'> 'marrow', 'burg' > '-Bury'.

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Written by Noortje Van Leeuwen on 2025-01-23 at 09:59

@yvanspijk i found the box somewhat confusing, may be becaus it read it early and i am tired as heck :P

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Toot

Written by Yoïn van Spijk on 2025-01-23 at 10:09

@noortjevee It's a bit technical, so I fully understand. :)

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Descendants

Written by Noortje Van Leeuwen on 2025-01-23 at 11:05

@yvanspijk oh i can read technical stuff, its just this one confused the heck out of me :P

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