Soft-n adjectives in Russian
Jules Levin
ameliede at EARTHLINK.NET
Thu Dec 6 07:34:11 UTC 2012
On 12/5/2012 12:46 PM, Robert Channon wrote:
>
> / And if semantics is the motivating factor, then how to we explain
> синий? /
>
Time to get back in. First, the historic basis of the distinction,
blurred by centuries of analogous associations.
In Lithuanian the difference between -inis and -inas is the difference
between a fish story and a fishy story. Adjs. in -inis as denominals
mean "of or relating to" the noun--I've tried to remember the good
English grammar term all day, interrupted by major surgery--but cannot.
In English when we want such an adj. we usually use a zero suffix, hence
"fish story", a story whatever its veracity involves a fish; otherwise
we can also use a technical term of foreign origin in the same
function--piscine. But the other kind is a qualitative adj--a fishy
story need not involve a fish. And we generally stick to core English
vocabulary for those kinds. Lith. tabakinis "of or related to
tobacco". I think one can still see this in Russian, but time has taken
a toll. Hence sin', derived from a noun ending in n'. Note that it is
sometimes said that the "of or related to" suffix (still can't remember
the English term!) is marked by absence of comparative degrees. A fish
museum--a museum devoted to fish--cannot be less or more a fish museum.
I suspect similarly for *rybniy muzey in Russian. Of course poetry and
general artistic license offer many counter examples. To sum up the
whole megillah, All the Russian cases discussed still show the original
basis of differentiation, but much deviated from the "ideal" through
language evolution.
Best,
Jules Levin
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