3 ms·

I thought the word looked familiar, and wiktionary says it comes from old Norse. In Swedish today it would probably be "låna"

• seabass-labrax 2y ago
  Ah, hence also German Lehen ('fiefdom'). Oh, how I love Proto-Germanic!
  • frutiger 2y ago
    I’m always fascinated by languages. As a native English speaker fluent in other languages but not any Germanic languages beyond basic vocabulary, this comment piqued my interest. > I love Proto-Germanic Is there something specific (aside from noticing these kinds of similarities in vocabulary) you love about proto-Germanic? Maybe its syntax, or grammar? Or sounds?
    • seabass-labrax 2y ago
      Mostly the similarities in vocabulary - it's exciting to be able to reconstruct what could may been spoken thousands of years ago by noticing the links between present-day languages! But I also like the case system, mostly because it feels like English has lost something of its poetic utility by dispensing with it. To expand on that, with cases, you can allude to the relationship between a thing and a situation without actually specifying what that relationship is, leaving something up to the reader's imagination.