-čina

• -ština, -čtina

By reduction of the original -ština (-ský + -ina).

• IPA^(key): /t͡ʃina/, [t͡ʃina]
• Hyphenation: -či‧na

-čina f

1. suffix used to form the names of languages or dialects from adjectives ending in -ský

   ‎slovenský (“Slovak (adj.)”) + ‎-čina → ‎slovenčina (“Slovak (lang.)”)

   ‎taliansky (“Italian (adj.)”) + ‎-čina → ‎taliančina (“Italian (lang.)”)

   ‎ukrajinský (“Ukrainian (adj.)”) + ‎-čina → ‎ukrajinčina (“Ukrainian (lang.)”)

• In Slovak, language names are derived from adjectives ending in -ský or -cký. The choice between the suffixes -čina, -ština, and -čtina depends on the phonetic environment of the stem:
  1. Stems with -ský (where -s- is not part of the stem):

     The entire -ský ending is typically replaced by -čina.

     Examples: slovenský → slovenčina; taliansky → taliančina.

     Exceptions: čínsky and poľský take -ština (čínština, poľština).

  2. Stems with -ský (where -s- is merged with the stem, either in writing or in pronunciation):

     When the stem ends in a sibilant (s, z, š, ž) or when the -s- of the suffix is merged with a root sibilant, the ending is replaced by -ština.

     Examples: ruský (< rus-ský) → ruština (< rus-ština), francúzsky → francúzština; lotyšský → lotyština (the double -šš- merges into one -š-).

  3. Stems with -cký:

     The adjectival cluster -ck- (< -csk-) shifts to -čť- (< -cšť-) and the resulting suffix is -čtina.

     Examples: grécky (< gréc-sky) → gréčtina (< gréc-ština); turecký → turečtina.

     Exception: nemecký → nemčina.