-ų
Lithuanian
Alternative forms
- -ių
Etymology
From Proto-Balto-Slavic *-um; compare Latvian -u, Old Prussian -an -un, Proto-Slavic *-ъ, exemplifying a Balto-Slavic shortening and raising of Proto-Indo-European *-ōm; compare Sanskrit -आम् (-ām), Ancient Greek -ων (-ōn), Old Norse -a. According to Eugen Hill, this shortening was regular before final *-N in Balto-Slavic (compare feminine accusative singular -ą); whereas *o was raised to *u in stressed final syllables. Compare -ù (“instrumental singular ending”); see -ùs for more.[1]
Suffix
-ų̃
- Used to form genitive plurals of masculine and feminine nouns and adjectives.
Derived terms
- -ųjų
References
- Eugen Hill. (2013) 'Historical phonology in service of subgrouping. Two laws of final syllables in the common prehistory of baltic and slavonic'. Baltistica, volume 48, number 2, p. 161-204