Where does “-im” come from?

-im (Tok Pisin) comes from English ’em, from English hem, from Middle English hem, from Old English hem, from Proto-West Germanic hammjan, from Proto-Germanic hamjaną, from Proto-Indo-European kem- — to press together; to hinder, to hamper; to...

-im (Tok Pisin): Indicates a transitive verb

Definitions

  1. Indicates a transitive verb

Ancestry of “-im”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English’em(now only in unstressed position)
2EnglishhemUsed to fill in the gap of a pause with a...
3Middle EnglishhemThird-person plural accusative pronoun: them;...
4Old Englishhemhem, border
5Proto-West GermanichammjanTo press; pinch; To obstruct; restrict; restrain;...
6Proto-GermanichamjanąTo press; pinch; To obstruct; restrict; restrain;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeankem-to press together; to hinder, to hamper; to...

Words derived from “-im

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kem-Every word from Proto-Germanic hamjanąEvery word from Proto-West Germanic hammjan