Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/-uc

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This Proto-Finnic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Finnic

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Etymology

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Janhunen (1981) proposed that *-uc is from Proto-Uralic *-wte, from *-w and related to Proto-Samic *-otëk (compare Northern Sami -odat) and Proto-Samoyedic *pirə̂ (< *pide-w-),[1] but Salminen (2014) has cast doubt on this etymology by rejecting the presence of *-w- in the Samoyedic word.[2]

Korhonen (1981) mentions an alternative etymology that *-uc is a reduction of *vooci (year) (and thus cognate with Proto-Samic *vuotë, which would be an early Finnic borrowing),[3] a theory which Hakulinen however rejects on the basis that there is insufficient evidence for the required semantic and phonological development.[4]

More recently, Junttila (2019) has written that *-uc could in fact be related to Proto-Samic *vuotë and that the suffix may have originally been an independent back-vocalic word that was used to form compounds. He does not however elaborate on whether this word was *vooci or not, and states that the theory is uncertain as there is no widely accepted etymology for the Finnic and Samic morphemes.[5] Aikio, in his draft of the Uralic Etymological Dictionary, speculates on a possible etymology from Proto-Uralic *owte or *ote, and lists Proto-Samic *vuotë and Eastern Khanty от (ot) as possible cognates. This theory requires *-uuc to be the original primary form.[6] With this in mind, it appears that *-uc is probably somehow related to Proto-Samic *vuotë and that both originate from a common independent word (rather than an affix), but the exact nature of this word and its further origin is as of yet uncertain.

Suffix

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*-uc / *-üc

  1. Forms nouns from adjectives or sometimes other nouns, expressing a quality of being that which is described: -ness, -hood, -ity, -th.

Inflection

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Estonian: -us
  • Finnish: -uus, -us
  • Ingrian: -us
  • Karelian: -us
  • Veps: -uz'
  • Võro: -us
  • Votic: -uz

References

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  1. ^ Janhunen, Juha. Uralilaisen kantakielen sanastosta (1981). Suomalais-ugrilaisen seuran aikakauskirja – Journal de la société finno-ougrienne 77. Helsinki. [1]. pp. 238–239
  2. ^ Salminen, Tapani. Suomalais-samojedilaisia muotovertailuja (2014). Juuret marin murteissa, latvus yltää Uraliin : Juhlakirja Sirkka Saarisen 60-vuotispäiväksi 21.12.2014. Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, Helsinki. [2]. p. 295
  3. ^ Korhonen, Mikko. Johdatus lapin kielen historiaan (1981). Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. p. 322
  4. ^ Hakulinen, Lauri. 1941–2000. Suomen kielen rakenne ja kehitys ('The Structure and Development of the Finnish Language'). Helsinki: Otava/Helsingin yliopisto.
  5. ^ Junttila, Santeri. Kantasuomen keskivokaalit ja jälkitavun U (Kommentti). Petri Kallio rocKs: Liber semisaecularis 7.2.2019 (2019). pp. 51–52
  6. ^ Aikio, Ante. Uralic Etymological Dictionary (draft, 2020).