-en in vix-en (from fox) was once a common sign of the feminine. -nd (an old present participial ending): err-and, fi-end (from O.E. fi-an, to hate), freo-nd (from freo-n, to love), wi-nd (from wa, to blow). -ness (O.E. -nis, -nes), forming abstract nouns from nouns and adjectives; as, wit-ness, wilder-ness; dark-ness, good-ness, &c. -ock (O.E. -uca), forming diminutives and patronymics: as, bull-ock, hillock; pill-ock (a little pill), Poll-ock (from Paul), Wil-cox, Wil-c-ock (from Will). In the Scotch dialects we find ladd-ock, wif-ock. This ock becomes -ick, or -ie (-y); as, lass-ick, lass-ie. Cp. mamm-y, dadd-y. -r (instrumental): fing-er (from fang, to take) lai-r (from lie), stai-r (from sty, to climb), timb-er (from timb, to build), wat-er (from wet), wint-er (from wind). -ster (O.E. estre), originally a sign of the feminine gender: as, spin-ster. It merely marks the agent in song-ster, huck-ster, malt-ster, young-ster. Upholsterer or upholster, is a corruption of upholder. -s: blis-s (from blithe), eave-s. It also appears adze, axe. in -th, t (of the same origin as the d in seed, &c.). It is used, for the most part, to form abstract nouns from verbs and adjectives: as, dear-th (from dear), wid-th (from wide), heal-th (from hale), leng-th (from long), slo-th (from slow), dea-th (from die), bir-th (from bear), ear-th (from ear to plough). Drough-t (from dry, O.E. drig) : heigh-t (from high), len-ten (from long). Drif-t (from drive): fligh-t (from fly, O.E. fleogan), gif-t, (from give), migh-t (from may, O.E. mag), slaught-er (from slay, O.E. sleâhan), sigh-t (from see, O.E. seon, pret. seah), draugh-t from draw or drag, O.E. dragan), frost, beques-t. The suffix t for th is due to the sharp sounds f, gh (originally S. In O.E. th was always sounded flat, as in thine. -ther, -ter, marking the agent: bro-ther, fa-ther, mo-ther, daugh-ter, sis-ter, fos-ter (from food). -ther, -ter, der, marking the instrument: bladder, (from blow), feather (from root fat, to fly), wea-ther (from wa, to blow), fo-dder (from fa, to feed), la-dder (from root hlî, to climb), mur-der (from mar, to kill). Ru-dder (from row), laugh-ter. -y (O.E. -ig, h): bod-y, hon-ey. It has become -ow in holl-ow, sall-ow, marr-ow, &c. -ow also arises out of (1) O.E. -u-mall-ow, meadow, shad-ow. (2) O.E. ewe :-swallow. 237. II. Adjective Suffixes. -d (like the d in dee-d, &c.): bol-d, col-d, lou-d, love-d, feathere-d, foote-d, &c. See p. 205. -ish (O.E. -isc) forms patronymics, as, Eng-lish, Wel-sh, Ir-ish. It signifies some-what, rather, in green-ish, whit-ish, &c.; it marks contempt and depreciation, in book-ish, outland-ish, hogg-ish. -le, -1 (O.E. -el, -ol): britt-le (from O.E. bryttan, to break), id-le, litt-le (O.E. lyt, few), fick-le, gripp-le (grasping, greedy), new-fang-le-d (= taken up with new things, (from O.E. fangan, to take), tick-le (unsteady), forget-ful M.E. for-get-el (O.E. for-git-ol). -en, made of. It originally signified of or belonging to: as, flax-en, gold-en, wood-en, &c. There was once a very large number of adjectives in -en; as, ashen, oaken, glassen, &c. The extensive use that could be once made of this suffix may be seen from the following passage: "God him selue thaim led thair way, To wise and kepe bath night and day, With firen piler apon the night."—Cursor Mundi, G. 11. Clouden piler Firen piler = pillar of cloud. = pillar of fire. -en (participial): bound-en, molt-en, &c. [6195-6. -r, -er (O.E. -or, -er, -r): bitt-er from bite, slipper-y; cp. M.E. slid-er (slippery), lith-er (bad), wak er (watchful), flicker flik-er (= fickle, flickering). -er and -n are combined in east-er-n, north-er-n, south-er-n, west-er-n. -t: brigh-t, left, ligh-t, righ-t, swif-t. See -t, p. 207. th: fifth, six-th, seven-th. -y (O.E. -ig): an-y, blood-y, clay-ey, craft-y, dirt-y, &c., sill-y (O.E. sæl-ig). -ow arises out of an older -u-call-ow, fall-ow, narr-ow, yell-ow. 238. II. Suffixes from Predicative Roots. (1) NOUNS. -craft (O.E. craft): priest-craft, witch-craft, wood-craft. -kind (O.E. cyn) kin: man-kin-d, woman kin-d. P In E. E. and M. E. we find fowl-kin, worm-kin, &c. In M.E. kin, instead of being used after the noun, was put between the numeral and noun; hence it is mostly found in the genitive case. "Monies cunnes ufel." = Evil of many a kind. "For nones kunnes mede." = For meed of no kind. "Alles kinnes bokes." Books of every kind. In M.E. we find alskyns, noskyns, no skynnes, nakin, whatkin. These (Northern) forms are perhaps due to Scandinavian influence. Cp. Dan. alskins, "of every sort." The phrase no kin became aiso no kind of, and no manner, no manner of, &c. Cp. the following from the Cursor Mundi:— “Of nankines worm þat euer is made.”—G. l. 1961. -dom doom (O.E. dôm, Ger. thum): thral-dom, wis-dom, cristen-dom, hali-dom (and halidame = O.E. hâlig-dom; E.E. halidom, sanctuary, relic); kingdom (from O.E. cyne, royal). = In E.E. kine is a very common prefix, kine-zerde royal-rod, sceptre, kine-helm = crown, kine-riche = realm, kine-setle = royal settle, throne. -fare (O.E. faru, way; faran, to go), way, course • thorough-fare, wel-fare, chaf-fer (= chap-fare from cheap). -head, -hood (O.E. hâd, state, rank, person; M.E. -hed, -hod; Ger. -heit). God-head, man-hood (M.E. man-hede, man-hode); live-li-hood once signified liveliness; but it now represents the O.E. lif-lade; E.E. lif-lode; M.E. live-lode (life-leading), sustenance. -herd (O.E. hyrde, pastor, keeper, herdsman): shep-herd, swine-herd. Cp. goose-herd (Holinshed), hog-herd (Harrison). -lock, ledge (O.E. lac, gift, sport), wed-lock, know-ledge (M. E. know-leche, know-lache, knowlage). = O.E. bryd-lac marriage, reaf-lac, bereaving, spoil. The Icelandic -leikr (= O.E. -lac) is very common under the forms -leic or -laik in E.E., and M. E. ; god-leic = goodness, hende-leik, hende-laik = politeness, from hende (= O.E. gehende, at hand, ready, polite). -man often does duty for the O.E. -ere. Cp. ship-man, chap-man, dust-man, bell-man, workman (O.E. wyrht-a). M.E. fishere = fish-er-man. Cp. speaker and spoke-s-man (= M.E. speke-man). The s is an intruder in craft-s-man, hunt-s-man, herd-s-man. Wife sometimes takes the place of -ster. Cp. brew-wif (in Piers Plowman) for brewestere; fish-wife = fish-woman; mid-wife; huzzy house-wife; goody = good wife. = -lock, -lick (O.E. -leac, -lic, plant): gar-lick (spear plant): hem-lock, bar-ley (O.E. ber-lic, from bere barley). = -red (O.E. rêden mode, fashion, condition; Ger. -rath): hat-red, kin-d-red. -rick (O.E. rice, power, dominion): bishop-rick. Cp. M.E. hevene-riche, king-riche (= E.E. kine-riche), realm. -ship, -skip, -scape (O.E. scipe, Icel. -skapr = form, shape): friend-ship, lord-ship, wor-ship (= worth-ship); land-scape (land-skip) is a modern formation. Fairfax, in his Bulk and Selvage of the World, coins steamscope for atmosphere. |