LL-L "Morphology" 2002.07.06 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 05.JUL.2002 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Morphology

Dear Lowlanders,

Under a different thread we recently discussed the word group _Mensch_
(German), _Minsch_ ~ _minsk_ ~ _mensk_ (Lowlands Saxon/Low German),
_mens_ (Dutch, Afrikaans), _minske_ (W. Frisian), etc., denoting 'human
being', 'person'.  Among other things I said that Old English had the
cognate _mennesc_.  This is only sort of correct.  _Mennesc_ is an
adjective, meaning 'man-like', 'human(-like)' (where the overriding
meaning of "man" was "human").  The other words are nominal derivation
from adjectival forms, i.e., literally "human(-like) one".

According to the _Herkunftsduden_, the nominal forms mentioned above,
denoting 'human being', 'person', are limited to the "German and
Netherlandic linguistic area."

Roman Laryushkin asked about the morpheme _-isk_ ~ _isch_ ~ _-ish_,
finding it related to Slavic _-isk-_.  I added to this Romance */-esk-/
(_-esque_, etc.) expressing likeness (e.g., _romanesque_ 'Roman-like').

So here the twain are meeting.  Apparently these words for 'human being'
contain this very morpheme, and the stem noun underwent umlauting very
early: _mon_ ~ _man_ > _mannisc-_ > _mennisc-_ (= _mönnisk-_ ~
_människ-_); also Gothic _mannisks_ and Old Norse _menniskr_.

In the said linguistic area, another noun was then created from this
adjective, e.g., Old German _mannisco_ > _mennisco_ 'human being'
("man-like one").   I think Middle Saxon had the adjective *_menn(i)ske_
(< *_mennisco_ < *_mannisco_?).  So I wonder if for instance Danish
_menneske_ and Swedish _människa_ are native (North Germanic)
developments or Middle Saxon loans.  Either could be the cases, given
that North Germanic, too, has _-(i)sk_ and Old Norse has the adjective
_menniskr_ (< /man+isk+r_).  (Modern Icelandic has _manneskja_ 'human
being', 'person' besides _maður_ for 'man', 'human being'.)

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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