Where does “än” come from?

än (Westrobothnian) comes from Old Norse enn, from Proto-Germanic andi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- — on, onto.

än (Westrobothnian): than

Definitions

  1. than

Ancestry of “än”, step by step

än traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Norse enn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseennyet, still
2Proto-Germanicandiin addition, furthermore, and
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntiopposite; near; in front
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

via Old Norse en

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseenbut; and; than
2Old Norseánwithout
3Proto-Germanicþanthen, at that time
4Proto-Germanicþam—
5Proto-Indo-Europeantóm—
6Proto-Indo-Europeansóthis; that

via Old Norse an

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseanbut, than
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts →