Where does “em” come from?
em (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...
em (Tok Pisin): The third person singular pronoun refers to a...
Definitions
- The third person singular pronoun refers to a...
Ancestry of “em”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ’em | (now only in unstressed position) |
| 2 | English | hem | Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a... |
| 3 | Middle English | hem | Third-person plural accusative pronoun: them;... |
| 4 | Old English | hem | hem, border |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | hammjan | To press; pinch; To obstruct; restrict; restrain;... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | hamjaną | To press; pinch; To obstruct; restrict; restrain;... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kem- | to press together; to hinder, to hamper; to... |