An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/etlich

by Friedrich Kluge

etlich, pron., ‘some, sundry,’ from MidHG. ëtelich, OHG. ëtalîh, also earlier ModHG. etzlich, from MidHG. ëteslich, OHG. ëtteslîch, ëtteshwëlich, ‘any one’ (plur. ‘many a one’). The same first component is seen in etwa, from the equiv. MidHG. ëtwâ (ëteswâ), OHG. ëtteswâr, ‘anywhere’; etwas, from MidHG. and OHG. ëtewaȥ (neu. of MidHG. and OHG. ëtewër, ëteswër, ‘any one’). The origin of this pronominal ëte, ëtes, ëttes, ëddes, ‘any,’ is quite obscure. Some have compared it with Goth. aíþþau, ‘perhaps, nearly’ (see oder), and þishwazuh, ‘every.’