Where does “hi” come from?

hi (Naga Pidgin) comes from Hindi ही, from Sanskrit हि, from Proto-Indo-Aryan źʰí, from Proto-Indo-Iranian ȷ́ʰi, from Proto-Indo-European gʰe — Postpositional intensifying particle, indeed, at...

hi (Naga Pidgin): an emphatic particle

Definitions

  1. an emphatic particle

Ancestry of “hi”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hindiहीan emphatic particle
2Sanskritहिfor, because, on account of; just, pray, do;...
3Proto-Indo-Aryanźʰí—
4Proto-Indo-Iranianȷ́ʰian emphatic particle
5Proto-Indo-EuropeangʰePostpositional intensifying particle, indeed, at...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰe →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian ȷ́ʰi →Every word from Proto-Indo-Aryan źʰí →