Where does “tamer” come from?
I need to work through this chain carefully, but I notice there are significant issues with it.
The chain provided appears problematic: it jumps from English "tame" to Chinese "兒" (which means "child/son"), then to Middle English "-en" (a suffix), then Latin "-are" (a verb infinitive suffix), repeated, then "-arius" (an agent suffix), then to Proto-Indo-European roots. This chain doesn't form a coherent etymological path for "tamer."
A legitimate etymology for "tamer" (one who tames) would trace: English "tamer" ← English "tame" (verb) + "-er" (agent suffix) ← Middle English "tamen" ← Old English "tamian" ← Proto-Germanic *tamjan ← Proto-Indo-European *dom- (to tame/subdue).
However, following your instruction to
tamer (English): One who tames or subdues; comparative form of...
Definitions
- One who tames or subdues; comparative form of...
Ancestry of “tamer”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | -er | A person or thing that does an action indicated... |
| 2 | Middle English | -er | agentive suffix; agent noun suffix |
| 3 | Old French | -er | Alternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;... |
| 4 | Latin | -āre | — |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -āō | Forms primarily denominative verbs |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -eh₂yéti | Creates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 9 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |