pulkstenis
Latvian
Alternative forms
- (dialectal form) pulkstens
Etymology
There are various theories about the origin of this word, originally meaning “church bell.” The most likely to be true derives it from an unattested verb *pulsēt (“to produce sound”) (cf. archaic pulstens, dialectal pulstenis (“bell”), pulkstiens (“bell sound, toll”)) > *pulksēt with an epenthetic k and the nominalizing suffix -enis. Other suggestions include deriving pulkstenis from pulks (“regiment, military unit”) and stenēt (“to groan, to make noise”) (i.e., the regiment's noisy one); from borrowed terms, Middle Low German puls (“hit, blow, touch”) and stēn (“stone”); from an old verb pult meaning “to fall” (since that which strikes a bell “falls” on it); from a compound of puls- and sitiens, sitenis “blow”, with an intrusive k. The word was already mentioned in a 1585 catechism (as stundu pulksten(is), “hour bell,” i.e., “clock”)[1]
Pronunciation
- IPA: [pùlkstɛnis]
Noun
pulkstenis m, 2nd declension
- clock, watch (instrument to mesure time)
- mehāniskais, elektroniskais pulkstenis — mechanical, electronic clock
- sudraba, zelta pulkstenis — silver, golden watch
- pulkstenis tikšķ — the clock is ticking
- pulksteņa rādītāji — the hands of a clock
- pulksteņa svārsts — clock pendulum
- labot pulksteni — to fix the clock
- rokas pulkstenis — wrist (lit. arm) watch
- kabatas pulkstenis — pocket watch
- galda, sienas, torņa pulkstenis — table, wall, tower clock
- modinātāja pulkstenis, modinātājpulkstenis — alarm clock
- saules pulkstenis — sun clock
- smilšu pulkstenis — hourglass (lit. sand clock)
- biloģiskais pulkstenis — biological clock
- pulkstenis ir ātrs, iet par ātru — the clock is fast
- pulkstenis iet priekšā, ir priekšā — the clock is fast
- pulkstenis ir vēls, iet par lēnu — the clock is late
- the time
- pulkstenis ir četri — it is four o'clock
- pulkstenis vēl nebija pusseptiņi — it wasn't half past six yet
- cik ir pulkstenis? — what time is it?
Declension
| singular (vienskaitlis) | plural (daudzskaitlis) | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative (nominatīvs) | pulkstenis | pulksteņi |
| accusative (akuzatīvs) | pulksteni | pulksteņus |
| genitive (ģenitīvs) | pulksteņa | pulksteņu |
| dative (datīvs) | pulkstenim | pulksteņiem |
| instrumental (instrumentālis) | pulksteni | pulksteņiem |
| locative (lokatīvs) | pulkstenī | pulksteņos |
| vocative (vokatīvs) | pulksteni | pulksteņi |
Synonyms
- (obsolete terms) stundenis, stundenieks
Derived terms
Related term
References
- ^ Karulis, Konstantīns. 1992, 2001. Latviešu etimoloģijas vārdnīca. Rīga: AVOTS. ISBN 9984700127.