Latvian edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-Baltic *stulb-, a variant of *stilb- (whence also Latvian stilbs (shin, shank), from Proto-Indo-European *stl̥b-, an ablaut variant of *stelb- (post, pole, jamb) (whence also stilbs, q.v.), from *stel- (to put in a standing position, to erect; standing, immobile, stiff) with an extra b. The semantic evolution was probably: “motionless, stiff” > “surprised, stunned” > “stupid”. Cognates include Lithuanian stul̃bis (stupid person; old, bad horse), stul̃bti, stùlbti (to be stunned, dumbfounded; to become stiff with surprise or fear), Proto-Slavic *stъlbъ (stŭlbŭ) (Russian столб (stolb, post)), Middle Low German stulpen (to overthrow, to overturn, to topple), German stolpern (to stumble, to trip up).[1]

Pronunciation edit

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Adjective edit

stulbs (definite stulbais, comparative stulbāks, superlative visstulbākais, adverb stulbi)

  1. stupid, dumb (mentally challenged, not able to comprehend, to understand; also, foolish)
    stulbs kā zābaksstupid as a boot (i.e., very stupid)
    Valentīna ir līdz smieklīgumam stulba; viņas nejēdzīgās atbildes stundās izsauc klasē smieklu šaltisValentīna is ridiculously stupid; her absurd answers caused bursts of laughter in the classroom
    es neesmu tik stulbs, lai nesaprastu, ka mani ļoti ļoti pieklājīgā veidā izraidaI am not so stupid as not to understand that I am being thrown out in a very, very polite way
  2. stupid, dumb (expressing such qualities)
    stulbs skatiensstupid look, stare
    stulba rīcībastupid action, behavior
    stulbas kaprīzesstupid whims
    es no visa esmu ieguvis, pat no ļaunu ļaužu stulbā naidaI've received (some) of everything, even (some) of the people's stupid hate
  3. (of actions, states) stupid (very undesirable, unwanted, inconvenient)
    rīt ir tā stulbā sapulcetomorrow is that stupid meeting
    “man tāds stulbs vārds,” viņš atzinās; “mani sauc... Krists... es pats tur neesmu vainīgs!”“I have such a stupid name,” he confessed; “I am... Krists... I am not responsible for that (name)!”

Declension edit

Synonyms edit

Antonyms edit

Derived terms edit

References edit

  1. ^ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “stulbs”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN