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E 0655 (TO) O W N
English " to own" is of
Germanic origin
H 0083 א ו ן
Concept own root : to own
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Hebrew word
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pronunciation
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English meanings
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א ו ן
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on
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possessions, riches
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Related English words
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own
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Comparison between European words and Hebrew
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Languages
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Words
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Pronunciation
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English meanings
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Similarity in roots
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Hebrew
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א ו ן
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on
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possessions, riches
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o n
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English
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(to) own
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(to) own, possess
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ow n
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Proto-Semitic *ON --- *OWN English
We find here the same root as in entry E 1004 (Hebrew 0082), but now with the concept of the result of having gained or won , that is to possess.
Note:
- English has developed two different words from one and the same root, to win and to own, concepts that can be in chronological sequence. Middle English, that had maintained the original suffix "-en" or "-n" to indicate the infinite form of verbs, has "owen". Still a contraction had taken place, as the root itself had an "N" as third letter. We have thus in Dutch twice an "N", one of the root and one as the suffix for the infinite : "wiNneN".
Note:
- Old English has a word "āgen" , saying "to own", and the usual opinion is that "to own" has developed out of "āgen". We rather think that it should have a different origin, as stated in our entry E 0654 (Hebrew 0018). In fact there is no clear explanation of the etymology of "own", earlier then Middle English "owen". Things are complicated by the fact that "owen" in Middle English means "to possess, to own", but also "to have to pay, owe". The same was valid for Old English "āgan", that has a long A. But then comes into a picture a second word, the Old English verb "āgnian", that seems to be documented only for "to own", not also for "to owe". This verb correctly has two consonants "N", the first one being part of the root, and the second one a suffix for the infinitive form. The shorter verb "āgan" lacks one "N".
We just remain with the similarity with Hebrew, that still may be fortuitous, if we yet are wrong and indeed "to own" as well as "to owe" have developed out of "agan".
Note:
- Proto-Germanic. There is uncertainty about the origin of English "to own" and no valid hypothesis is available for Proto-Germanic, nor consequently for Indo-European.
Note:
- Hebrew has maintained both concepts in one and the same word. As remarked under entry E 1004 (Hebrew 0082), many other "messages" have been developed under this root or similar ones, both in Hebrew and in European tongues.
Note:
- Proto-Semitic. This root with its many meanings in all probability existed also in Proto-Semitic, perhaps , also, in the form " W . N ":
"*ו
ן , 'on" .
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| Created: Tuesday 6 November 2007 at 22.30.54 Updated: 27/09/2012 at 10.07.40 |
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