< Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic
Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/-ja
 | 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
Etymology 1
From Proto-Uralic *-ja, which was originally a participle ending in Proto-Uralic. Related to Proto-Samic *-jē.
Suffix
*-ja
- Forms agent nouns from verbs.
Usage notes
When attached to verbs with a stem in -e-, this changes to -i-. This takes place in most Finnic descendants, but it is uncertain whether this change already occurred in Proto-Finnic.
Inflection
This noun needs an inflection-table template.
Derived terms
Proto-Finnic terms suffixed with *-ja
Descendants
- Estonian: -ja
- Finnish: -ja
- Livonian: -ji
- Karelian: -ja
- Veps: -i
- Võro: -ja, -j
- Votic: -ja
Etymology 2
Probably cognate with Komi-Zyrian -я (-ja) (in e.g. дыря (dyra)) and Udmurt -я (-ja) (in e.g. дыря (dyrja)),[1] in which case from Proto-Finno-Permic *-ja. Compare the illative suffix *-jen (found in e.g. some Estonian dialects and cognate with Proto-Samic *-jën).
Suffix
*-ja
- Forms nouns, mainly place names or other locative nouns, from nominal stems.
Descendants
- >? Finnish: -ja (in toponyms like Kytäjä, Ypäjä)
*k-lative (*-jak):
- Estonian: -ja (in dialectal edaja < *etä-jäk), possibly the same suffix as -ja in salaja
- Finnish: -ia (in kahtia, kotia...)
- >? Livonian: -i (in kuodāi < *kota-jak, if not *kota-jen)
With external locative suffixes *-lla, *-len, *-lta:
- Finnish: -alla, -alle, -alta (probably at least partially)
References
- Rédei, Károly. Az uráli-finnugor névszóragozás történetéből: A koaffixumok szerepe a névszóragozás kialakulásában. Nyelvtudományi Közlemények 93 (1992–1993). pp. 79–94