An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/etlich

by Friedrich Kluge

etlich, pronoun, ‘some, sundry,’ from Middle High German ëtelich, Old High German ëtalîh, also earlier Modern High German etzlich, from Middle High German ëteslich, Old High German ëtteslîch, ëtteshwëlich, ‘any one’ (plural ‘many a one’). The same first component is seen in etwa, from the equivalent Middle High German ëtwâ (ëteswâ), Old High German ëtteswâr, ‘anywhere’; etwas, from Middle High German and Old High German ëtewaȥ (neuter of Middle High German and Old High German ëtewër, ëteswër, ‘any one’). The origin of this pronominal ëte, ëtes, ëttes, ëddes, ‘any,’ is quite obscure. Some have compared it with Gothic aíþþau, ‘perhaps, nearly’ (see oder), and þishwazuh, ‘every.’