Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/karhu
Proto-Finnic
Etymology
Most likely a euphemistic derivation from *karhëda (“rough, coarse”) + *-u. Alternatively (through earlier *karša-) a possible loan from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hŕ̥ćšas, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ŕ̥tḱos.
Noun
*karhu[1]
Inflection
Inflection of *karhu
| Note: The Proto-Finnic declension system is yet to be reconstructed in detail. What is presented here is only one possibility. | |||
| singular | plural | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | *karhu | *karhut | |
| accusative | *karhun | *karhut | |
| genitive | *karhun | *karhudën *karhuidën | |
| partitive | *karhuda | *karhuida | |
| inessive | *karhussa *karhuhna |
*karhuissa *karhuihna | |
| elative | *karhusta | *karhuista | |
| illative | *karhuhën | *karhuihën | |
| adessive | *karhulla | *karhuilla | |
| ablative | *karhulta | *karhuilta | |
| allative | *karhulën *karhulëk |
*karhuilën *karhuilëk | |
| essive | *karhuna | *karhuina | |
| translative | *karhuksi | *karhuiksi | |
| instructive | *karhun | *karhuin | |
| comitative | *karhunëk | *karhuinëk | |
| abessive | *karhutta | *karhuitta | |
Descendants
- Estonian: karu
- → Livonian: karū
- Finnish: karhu
- Ingrian: karhu
- Karelian:
- Võro: karh, kahr
- Votic: karu
References
- Delamarre, Xavier. 1992. "Finnois karhu, aryen hr̥kšas, indoeuropéen *h₂rtk̂os 'ours'". Historische Sprachforschung 105, pp. 151–154.
- “karu”, in [ETY] Eesti etümoloogiasõnaraamat [Estonian Etymological Dictionary] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2012
- Itkonen, Erkki, Kulonen, Ulla-Maija, editors (1992–2000), Suomen sanojen alkuperä [The Origin of Finnish Words][2] (in Finnish) (online version; note: also includes other etymological sources; this source is labeled "SSA 1992–2000"), Helsinki: Institute for the Languages of Finland/Finnish Literature Society, →ISBN