See also: siekalās

Latvian edit

 siekalas on Latvian Wikipedia
 
Siekalas

Etymology edit

From the same stem as slieka (earthworm) (q.v.), with dissimilation (*sliekalas > siekalas); note dialectal forms like sliekas (saliva), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sley- (slimy, slippery, glide).[1]

The synonymous word slienas comes also from the same stem, but with an extra n instead of an extra k.[2]

Pronunciation edit

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Noun edit

siekalas f (4th declension)

  1. (usually in the plural) saliva (secretions of the glands in the mouth)
    siekalu dziedzerisalivary glands
    siekalu pilienisaliva drops
    siekalas saskrien mutēsaliva is flowing to (one's) mouth
    izspļaut siekalasto spit out saliva
    siekalas teksaliva is flowing (= one wants something very much)
    siekalas samitrina sauso uzturu un noskalo no mutes gļotādas kaitīgās un liekās vielassaliva moistens the dry food and washes away harmful substances from the mouth surface

Usage notes edit

A nominative singular form siekala exists but is only sporadically attested.

Declension edit

Synonyms edit

Related terms edit

References edit

  1. ^ Pokorny, Julius (1959) “662-64”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, pages 662-64
  2. ^ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “siekalas”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN