On August 16 2011 15:58 Roe wrote: What's the etymology of Sieg=Win?
From an online dictionary:
Ger. Sieg "victory," from O.H.G. sigu, from P.Gmc. *sigiz- "victory" (cf. M.Du. seghe, O.N. sigr, O.E. sige), from PIE base *segh- "to have, to hold" (cf. Skt. saha- "victory," sahate "overcomes, masters;" Gk. ekhein "to hold"
Interestingly, "siege" is unrelated. It's from the Old French sege, "seat/throne".
The English translation "win" and "victor" are from entirely different words:
fusion of O.E. winnan "struggle for, work at, strive, fight," and gewinnan "to gain or succeed by struggling, to win," both from P.Gmc. *wenwanan (cf. O.S. winnan, O.N. vinna, O.Fris. winna, Du. winnen "to gain, win," Dan. vinde "to win," O.H.G. winnan "to strive, struggle, fight," Ger. gewinnen "to gain, win," Goth. gawinnen "to suffer, toil")
and
mid-14c., from L. victorem (nom. victor) "a conqueror," agent noun from pp. stem of vincere "to conquer," from PIE base *weik- "to fight, conquer" (cf. Lith. apveikiu "to subdue, overcome," O.C.S. veku "strength, power, age," O.N. vigr "able in battle," O.E. wigan "fight," Welsh gwych "brave, energetic," O.Ir. fichim "I fight")
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