Where does “ben” come from?
ben (Sranan Tongo) comes from English been, from Middle English been, from Old English bēn, from Proto-Germanic banjō, from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰon-yeh₂, from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰen-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰon-.
ben (Sranan Tongo): Verbal marker for the past tense
Definitions
- Verbal marker for the past tense
Ancestry of “ben”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | been | past participle of be; plural simple present of... |
| 2 | Middle English | been | to be; ben; plural of bee |
| 3 | Old English | bēn | prayer, request; prayer, request, petition,... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | banjō | wound |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷʰon-yeh₂ | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷʰen- | to strike, slay, kill |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰon- | — |