Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/-nnak

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

Etymology

Uncertain. Possibly from earlier *-k-na-k (*-k- + *-na + *-k), implying e.g. *se, *tä > *sikä-, *täkä- (compare Finnish siellä, täällä < *sigä-llä, *tägä-llä) > *sik(e)-nä-k, *täk(e)-nä-k. The *-ë- in the variant *-nnëk may be regular (compare *-mpi).

Ylikoski (2011) notes that the Estonian terminative (generally connected with this suffix) may be postpositional in origin, since its modifier does not inflect in the same case (but rather the genitive, earlier also the illative).[1] If this is the case for *-nnak (like has been proposed for *-ic'ëk), one possibility is *-n + *maa (“ground”) + *-k (lative), with assimilation/reduction (possibly *-n mëxe-ŋ > *-n maɰi-k > *-n-ma(a)-k > *-nnak); compare the uses of illative forms of *maa like Estonian maha, Livonian mǭ’zõ in descendants. However, this idea has issues, notably that *-nm- would probably more likely assimilate to *-mm- than *-nn-.

Reconstruction

According to Viitso, the earlier form of the Estonian, Livonian, (dialectal) Ludian and Veps form should be reconstructed instead as *-nna, and then *-nnëk can be analyzed as this + the lative suffix *-k.[2] However, a reconstruction with word-final *-k also explains the South Estonian/Võro form, is equally valid for Estonian and Livonian, and also valid for Ludian and Veps, which do not consistently retain word-final *-k.

Suffix

*-nnak / *-nnäk

  1. Forms sublative adverbs.

Descendants

From *-nnak / *-nnäk:

  • Estonian: -nna (sinna, tänna)
  • Livonian: -nõ (sīņõ, tǟnõ)
  • Ludian: (dialectal) -nna (sinnä, tännä)
  • Veps: -nna (sinna, tänna)
  • Võro: -nnaq (sinnäq)

From *-nnëk / *-nnek:

From *-(n)nik? (compare *-ik):

  • Estonian: -ni (terminative case marker)
  • Finnish: (rare) -nni

References

  1. ^ Ylikoski, Jussi. A survey of the origins of directional case suffixes in European Uralic (2011)
  2. ^ Viitso, Tiit-Rein. The essive in Livonian. ESUKA – JEFUL 2016, 7–1: 145–175. p. 148

Further reading

  • Hakulinen, Lauri. 1941–2000. Suomen kielen rakenne ja kehitys ('The Structure and Development of the Finnish Language'). Helsinki: Otava/Helsingin yliopisto.
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