Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/alku

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

From *alkadak +‎ *-u.

Noun

*alku

1. beginning, start

Inflection

Inflection of *alku

Note: The Proto-Finnic declension system is yet to be reconstructed in detail. What is presented here is only one possibility.
		singular	plural
nominative		*alku	*algut
accusative		*algun	*algut
genitive		*algun	*alkudën *alkuidën
partitive		*alkuda	*alkuida
inessive		*algussa *alguhna	*alguissa *alguihna
elative		*algusta	*alguista
illative		*alkuhën	*alkuihën
adessive		*algulla	*alguilla
ablative		*algulta	*alguilta
allative		*alkulën *alkulëk	*alkuilën *alkuilëk
essive		*alkuna	*alkuina
translative		*alguksi	*alguiksi
instructive		*algun	*alguin
comitative		*alkunëk	*alkuinëk
abessive		*algutta	*alguitta

Descendants

• Estonian: alg
• Finnish: alku
• Ingrian: alku
• Karelian: (Northern) alku, (Southern) algu
• Livvi: algu
• Veps: aug
• Votic: alku
• →? Proto-Samic: *ālkō
  • Northern Sami: álgu

Further reading

• Itkonen, Erkki, Kulonen, Ulla-Maija, editors (1992–2000), “alkaa”, in Suomen sanojen alkuperä [The origin of Finnish words]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online version; note: also includes other etymological sources), Helsinki: Institute for the Languages of Finland/Finnish Literature Society, →ISBN