arājs
Latvian edit
Etymology edit
Apparently a mixture of arējs (“(temporary) plowman”) and an unattested form *artājs, from art (“to plow”) + -ājs. Cognates include Proto-Slavic *ortajь (archaic Russian ратай (rataj), Old Church Slavonic ра́тай (rátaj)).[1]
Noun edit
arājs m (1st declension)
- plowman (person who plows the land (with a horse-drawn plow)
- arājs stingri turēja arklu ― the plowman firmly held the plow
- arājs nāca tīrumā art ― the plowman came to the field to plow
- arājs ara un gani ganīja ― the plowman plows and the shepherds tend (the sheep)
Usage notes edit
The difference between arājs and arējs seems to be that arājs describes a profession, a permanent way of life, whereas arējs refers to someone (or some animal) who happens to be plowing now.
Declension edit
Declension of arājs (1st declension)
Synonyms edit
Related terms edit
References edit
- ^ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “art”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN