Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/karhu

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

Most likely a euphemistic derivation from *karhëda (“rough, coarse”) +‎ *-u. Alternatively (through earlier *karša-) a possible loan from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hŕ̥ćšas, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ŕ̥tḱos.

Noun

*karhu

1. bear

   Synonyms: *kontija, *okci

Inflection

Inflection of *karhu

Note: The Proto-Finnic declension system is yet to be reconstructed in detail. What is presented here is only one possibility.
		singular	plural
nominative		*karhu	*karhut
accusative		*karhun	*karhut
genitive		*karhun	*karhudën *karhuidën
partitive		*karhuda	*karhuida
inessive		*karhussa *karhuhna	*karhuissa *karhuihna
elative		*karhusta	*karhuista
illative		*karhuhën	*karhuihën
adessive		*karhulla	*karhuilla
ablative		*karhulta	*karhuilta
allative		*karhulën *karhulëk	*karhuilën *karhuilëk
essive		*karhuna	*karhuina
translative		*karhuksi	*karhuiksi
instructive		*karhun	*karhuin
comitative		*karhunëk	*karhuinëk
abessive		*karhutta	*karhuitta

Descendants

• Estonian: karu
  • → Livonian: karū
• Finnish: karhu
• Ingrian: karhu
• Karelian:
  • North Karelian: (archaic, poetic) karhu
  • South Karelian: (archaic, poetic) karhu
• Võro: karh, kahr
• Votic: karu

References

• Delamarre, Xavier. 1992. "Finnois karhu, aryen hr̥kšas, indoeuropéen *h₂rtk̂os 'ours'". Historische Sprachforschung 105, pp. 151–154.
• “karu”, in [ETY] Eesti etümoloogiasõnaraamat [Estonian Etymological Dictionary] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2012
• Itkonen, Erkki, Kulonen, Ulla-Maija, editors (1992–2000), Suomen sanojen alkuperä [The origin of Finnish words]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online version; note: also includes other etymological sources), Helsinki: Institute for the Languages of Finland/Finnish Literature Society, →ISBN