Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/meri

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

Most likely borrowing from Proto-Balto-Slavic *mári (“sea”). Perhaps through a change *a…i > *e…i, cf. *reki.

Noun

*meri

1. sea

Inflection

Inflection of *meri

Note: The Proto-Finnic declension system is yet to be reconstructed in detail. What is presented here is only one possibility.
		singular	plural
nominative		*meri	*meret
accusative		*meren	*meret
genitive		*meren	*merden *meriden
partitive		*mertä	*meridä
inessive		*meressä *merehnä	*merissä *merihnä
elative		*merestä	*meristä
illative		*merehen	*merihen
adessive		*merellä	*merillä
ablative		*mereltä	*meriltä
allative		*merelen *merelek	*merilen *merilek
essive		*mernä	*merinä
translative		*mereksi	*meriksi
instructive		*meren	*merin
comitative		*mernek	*merinek
abessive		*merettä	*merittä

Descendants

• Estonian: meri
• Finnish: meri
• Ingrian: meri
• Karelian: meri
• Livonian: me'r, mie'r
• Livvi: meri
• Ludian: meri
• Veps: meri
• Võro: meri
• Votic: meri
• → Proto-Samic: *mearë

References

• “meri”, in [ETY] Eesti etümoloogiasõnaraamat (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2012
• Itkonen, Erkki, Kulonen, Ulla-Maija, editors (1992–2000), Suomen sanojen alkuperä‎^[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
• Sköld, Tryggve. 1996. "Finn. meri 'Meer'". In: Lars-Gunnar Larsson (ed.), Lapponica et Uralica: 100 Jahre finnisch-ugrischer Unterricht an der Universität Uppsala. Vorträge am Jubiläumssymposium 20-23 April 1994 (Studia Uralica Uppsalaensia 26): pp. 311–316.