Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/ainijaz

• *jainijaz^[1]

The details of the derivation and those of the supposed cognates are uncertain, but seemingly related to the beginning element of Latin iūniperus (“juniper”), as well as perhaps to Hittite 𒂊𒅀𒀭 (e-i̯a-an /⁠ei̯an-⁠/, “(a kind of) evergreen tree (yew?)”), in which case they may be from a Proto-Indo-European acrostatic n-stem noun *h₁óy-n- ~ *h₁éy-n-s. The Germanic form points to *h₁oy-n-yo-, which may have been a collective formation along with the Latin.^[2] Orel also compares Middle Irish áin (“bulrush”).

Alternatively:

• A European substrate word. This is evidenced by the Western European distribution^[3] (disregarding the doubtful Hittite) and odd phonetic details: while Latin iūniperus could be considered sporadic with regard to a PIE precursor, its resemblance to iuncus (“reed, rush”) and Middle Irish áin raises more questions. Compare also *īhwaz (“yew”).
• A North Germanic term borrowed from the Latin, with subsequent rebracketing, from there borrowed into both High and Low German; see Old Norse einir for more.

*ainijaz m^[2]

1. juniper

• Proto-West Germanic: *ainī ^?
  • Old Saxon: *aini
    • >? Middle Low German: *eyni, *eyn, *ene;^{[note 1]} ⇒ *eyniken, *eneken (diminutive); ⇒ *eyni-beren, eyn-beren, ein-beeren (“juniper-berry”)
      • German Low German: ēneke, ēnke
      • German Low German: Eenberen
      • ⇒? eneken-behren
      • ⇒ eyn-holz, eyn-holcz, eynberen holt
      • ⇒ eynberen-boem
      • ⇒ eyniken-strucke, einbeeren struke
        • German Low German: Eenkenstruk, Ehmkenstruk, Ênbêrnstrûk
  • Old High German: *aini, *eini
    • >? Middle High German: *eine^{[note 1]}
      • ⇒ German: *Ein-beere
        • ⇒ Einbeer-baum (“juniper-berry”)
• Old Norse: einir
  • Icelandic: einir
  • Faroese: eini
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: eine, einer
  • Norwegian Bokmål: einer
  • Elfdalian: ien, iene
  • Old Swedish: ēn, ēne
    • Swedish: en, ene
  • Danish: ene, ener
    • Norwegian Bokmål: ener
  • →⇒? Middle Low German: eynholz, eynholcz, eynberen holt, eynberenboem, einbeeren struke, enekenbehren, eynikenstrucke
    • German Low German: Ênbêrnstrûk, Eenberen, Ehmkenstruk, Eenkenstruk, Euwerbush (Mecklenburg, Pommern, Rügen as of late 19th c.)