Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/nilpa

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

Sound-symbolic.

Adjective

*nilpa

1. slippery, slimy

Noun

*nilpa

1. slime

Inflection

Inflection of *nilpa

Note: The Proto-Finnic declension system is yet to be reconstructed in detail. What is presented here is only one possibility.
		singular	plural
nominative		*nilpa	*nilbat
accusative		*nilban	*nilbat
genitive		*nilban	*nilpadën *nilpoidën
partitive		*nilpada	*nilpoida
inessive		*nilbassa *nilbahna	*nilboissa *nilboihna
elative		*nilbasta	*nilboista
illative		*nilpahën	*nilpoihën
adessive		*nilballa	*nilboilla
ablative		*nilbalta	*nilboilta
allative		*nilpalën *nilpalëk	*nilpoilën *nilpoilëk
essive		*nilpana	*nilpoina
translative		*nilbaksi	*nilboiksi
instructive		*nilban	*nilboin
comitative		*nilpanëk	*nilpoinëk
abessive		*nilbatta	*nilboitta

Descendants

• Estonian: (dialectal) nilb, nilv
• Finnish: (dialectal) nilpa, nilva, ⇒ nilviäinen
• Karelian: ⇒
  • South Karelian: nilpakka
• Livonian: nīlba
• Livvi: ⇒ nilpakko

From *nilpe-:

• Estonian: nilbe
• Võro: nilbõ

Further reading

• “nilbe”, in [ETY] Eesti etümoloogiasõnaraamat [Estonian Etymological Dictionary] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2012