Etymology

Always derived from ON, cp. OIcel slíkr (adj.) 'such' < PGmc *swa-līkaz, cp. (without syncope in the first element) Go swaleiks 'such', OE swelc, swilc, swylc, OFris sulik, selik, OS sulik, OHG sulih.

PGmc Ancestor

*swa-līkaz

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

slíkr (adj.) 'such'
(ONP slíkr (adj.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far slíkur, Icel slíkur, Norw slik, Dan slig, Sw slik

OE Cognate

swelc, swilc, swylc (pron.) 'such'

Phonological and morphological markers

syncope

Summary category

A1*c

Attestation

Mostly from N texts in ME, beginning in the 14c; also notably in Chaucer's Reeve's Tale. MED's earliest citation of its use as a pronoun is from a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3).

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

WA 11, 38, 62 etc.

Bibliography

MED slīk (adj.) , MED slīk (pron.) , OED slike (adj.) , HTOED , Bj. 147, de Vries slíkr (2), Mag. slíkur (3), Orel *swa-līkaz, AEW swelc, swilc, swylc