Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/tenho

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

Alternative reconstructions

• *tänho

Etymology

Unknown.

Noun

*tenho

1. The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:
   1. (Northern Finnic) charm, appeal, magical power
   2. (Southern Finnic) thanks (expression of gratitude)

Inflection

Inflection of *tenho

Note: The Proto-Finnic declension system is yet to be reconstructed in detail. What is presented here is only one possibility.
		singular	plural
nominative		*tënho	*tënhot
accusative		*tënhon	*tënhot
genitive		*tënhon	*tënhodën *tënhoidën
partitive		*tënhoda	*tënhoida
inessive		*tënhossa *tënhohna	*tënhoissa *tënhoihna
elative		*tënhosta	*tënhoista
illative		*tënhohën	*tënhoihën
adessive		*tënholla	*tënhoilla
ablative		*tënholta	*tënhoilta
allative		*tënholën *tënholëk	*tënhoilën *tënhoilëk
essive		*tënhona	*tënhoina
translative		*tënhoksi	*tënhoiksi
instructive		*tënhon	*tënhoin
comitative		*tënhonëk	*tënhoinëk
abessive		*tënhotta	*tënhoitta

Descendants

• Estonian: tänu (“thanks”), ⇒ tänama (“to thank”)
• Finnish: tenho (“charm, appeal”)
• Karelian: tenho (“charm, appeal”)
• ⇒ Livonian: tieʾnnõ (“to thank”)
• ⇒ Votic: (Pummala, Rudja) tenata (“to thank”)
• Võro: teno, tehn (“thanks”)

Further reading

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