pulkstenis
Latvian edit
Alternative forms edit
- (dialectal form) pulkstens
Etymology edit
There are various theories about the origin of this word, originally meaning “church bell.” The most likely to be true derives it from an unattested verb *pulsēt (“to produce sound”) (compare archaic pulstens, dialectal pulstenis (“bell”), pulkstiens (“bell sound, toll”)) > *pulksēt with an epenthetic k and the nominalizing suffix -enis. Other suggestions include deriving pulkstenis from pulks (“regiment, military unit”) and stenēt (“to groan, to make noise”) (i.e., the regiment's noisy one); from borrowed terms, Middle Low German puls (“hit, blow, touch”) and stēn (“stone”); from an old verb pult meaning “to fall” (since that which strikes a bell “falls” on it); from a compound of puls- and sitiens, sitenis “blow”, with an intrusive k. The word was already mentioned in a 1585 catechism (as stundu pulksten(is), “hour bell,” i.e., “clock”)[1]
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
pulkstenis m (2nd declension)
- clock, watch (instrument to measure time)
- mehāniskais, elektroniskais pulkstenis ― mechanical, electronic clock
- sudraba, zelta pulkstenis ― silver, golden watch
- pulkstenis tikšķ ― the clock is ticking
- pulksteņa rādītāji ― the hands of a clock
- pulksteņa svārsts ― clock pendulum
- labot pulksteni ― to fix the clock
- rokas pulkstenis ― wrist (lit. arm) watch
- kabatas pulkstenis ― pocket watch
- galda, sienas, torņa pulkstenis ― table, wall, tower clock
- modinātāja pulkstenis, modinātājpulkstenis ― alarm clock
- saules pulkstenis ― sun clock
- smilšu pulkstenis ― hourglass (lit. sand clock)
- biloģiskais pulkstenis ― biological clock
- pulkstenis ir ātrs, iet par ātru ― the clock is fast
- pulkstenis iet priekšā, ir priekšā ― the clock is fast
- pulkstenis ir vēls, iet par lēnu ― the clock is late
- the time
- pulkstenis ir četri ― it is four o'clock
- pulkstenis vēl nebija pusseptiņi ― it wasn't half past six yet
- cik ir pulkstenis? ― what time is it?
Declension edit
singular (vienskaitlis) | plural (daudzskaitlis) | |
---|---|---|
nominative (nominatīvs) | pulkstenis | pulksteņi |
accusative (akuzatīvs) | pulksteni | pulksteņus |
genitive (ģenitīvs) | pulksteņa | pulksteņu |
dative (datīvs) | pulkstenim | pulksteņiem |
instrumental (instrumentālis) | pulksteni | pulksteņiem |
locative (lokatīvs) | pulkstenī | pulksteņos |
vocative (vokatīvs) | pulksteni | pulksteņi |
Synonyms edit
- (obsolete terms) stundenis, stundenieks
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
References edit
- ^ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “pulkstenis”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN