Where does “wan” come from?
wan (Nigerian Pidgin) comes from English want, from Middle English wont, from Old English ġewunod, from Old English ġewunian, from Old English ġē, from Proto-Germanic jahw, from Proto-Germanic -hw, from Proto-Germanic -hwe — and; Forms distributives from interrogatives.
wan (Nigerian Pidgin): want, want to
Ancestry of “wan”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | want | To wish for or desire ; to feel a need or desire... |
| 2 | Middle English | wont | custom, habit, practice |
| 3 | Old English | ġewunod | — |
| 4 | Old English | ġewunian | — |
| 5 | Old English | ġē | ye |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | jahw | and, also |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | -hw | and; Forms distributives from interrogatives |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | -hwe | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -kʷe | and; Forms distributives from interrogatives |