Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-gô

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Alternative forms

• *-gjô
• *-gjō, *-gjǭ (feminine)

Etymology

Unknown. Note also *-kô in *kelkô, *leuskô, *mankô etc.

(Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɣɔːː/

Suffix

*-gô m

1. Appended to verbs and adjectives to create nouns, usually with a diminutive force.

Declension

masculine an-stemDeclension of *-gô (masculine an-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*-gô	*-ganiz
vocative	*-gô	*-ganiz
accusative	*-ganų	*-ganunz
genitive	*-giniz	*-ganǫ̂
dative	*-gini	*-gammaz
instrumental	*-ginē	*-gammiz

Derived terms

Category Proto-Germanic terms suffixed with *-gô not found

Descendants

Note: This suffix was rarely productive in the daughter languages.

• Proto-West Germanic: *-gō
  • Old English: -ga
    • ⇒ Old English: docga
      • Middle English: dogge
        • English: dog
        • Scots: dug
    • ⇒ Old English: frocga
      • Middle English: frogge
        • English: frog
    • ⇒ Old English: *picga
      • Middle English: pigge
        • English: pig
    • ⇒ Old English: sċeacga
      • Middle English: *schagge
        • English: shag
        • Scots: schagg, schaig
    • ⇒ Old English: *snecga
      • Middle English: snegge
        • English: sneg, snag (“snail”) (dialectal)
    • ⇒ Old English: stacga
      • Middle English: stagge
        • English: stag
    • ⇒ Old English: wicga
      • ⇒ Old English: ēarwicga
        • Middle English: erwigge
          • English: earwig
  • Old Saxon: *-go, *-ko
    • ⇒ Old Saxon: *sneggo, *snecko
      • Middle Low German: snegge, snecke
        • German Low German: Snigge, Snigg
  • Old High German: -go, -ko
    • ⇒ Old High German: sneggo, snecko
      • Middle High German: snecke (“snail”)
        • German: Schnecke
      • Middle High German: snegge (“toad”)
• Old Norse: -gi
  • ⇒ Old Norse: skeggi
  • ⇒ Old Norse: steggi