Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/icek

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

Alternative forms

*isek, *ic'ek

Etymology

From Proto-Uralic *iće ~ *ićće ~ *eće (“(shadow-)soul”) +‎ *-ëk.^[1]^[2] Related to Proto-Samic *jiečë, Proto-Mordvinic *eś, Proto-Permic [Term?], Southern Khanty [script needed] (is, “shadow-soul”), Northern Mansi [script needed] (is, “shadow, shadow-soul, ghost”). The development into a reflexive pronoun is exclusive to the western branches (from Sami to Permic),^[3] and likely developed e.g. via references to one's 'shadow-soul' separating from one's body in dreams. The Uralic word has developed somewhat irregularly in descendants, perhaps spurred by its grammaticalization.^[4]

With regards to the variation of *icek ~ *iccek ~ *isek, at least some of this variation might be older than Proto-Finnic, but there is still some debate about the nature of *ś and *ć in Proto-Uralic, specifically whether both consonants existed. The long *cc, however, is likely to be a secondary development. Some of this variation is likely to be tied to consonant gradation (see Kallio 2007, p. 238), while some of it is merely an artifact of differing reconstructions.

Pronoun

*icek

self

Noun

*icek

shadow-soul

Derived terms

*ic'et'oin (“soulless; unconscious”)

Descendants

Estonian: ise
Finnish: itse
Ingrian: itse
Karelian:
- North Karelian: iče
- South Karelian: iče
Livonian: ī’ž
Livvi: iče
Ludian: iče
Veps: iče
Võro: esś, eś, esiq
Votic: ize

References

^ Ante Aikio (24 March 2022), “Proto-Uralic”, in Marianne Bakró-Nagy, Johanna Laakso, Elena Skribnik, editors, The Oxford Guide to the Uralic Languages, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 24 of 3–27
^ Kallio, Petri (2020–), “*isek”, in Yhteissuomalainen sanasto [Common Finnic Vocabulary]‎^[1] (in Finnish): "vksm. *ićǝ-k"
^ Ante Aikio (24 March 2022), “Proto-Uralic”, in Marianne Bakró-Nagy, Johanna Laakso, Elena Skribnik, editors, The Oxford Guide to the Uralic Languages, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 13 of 3–27
^ Santeri Junttila, Petri Kallio, Sampsa Holopainen, Juha Kuokkala, Juho Pystynen, editors (2020–), “itse”, in Suomen vanhimman sanaston etymologinen verkkosanakirja‎^[2] (in Finnish), retrieved 15 June 2026

Kallio, Petri (2020–), “*isek”, in Yhteissuomalainen sanasto [Common Finnic Vocabulary]‎^[3] (in Finnish)
Kallio, Petri. Kantasuomen konsonanttihistoriaa, in Sámit, sánit, sátnehámit. Riepmočála Pekka Sammallahtii miessemánu (2007)
Erkki Itkonen, Ulla-Maija Kulonen, editors (1992–2000), “itse”, in Suomen sanojen alkuperä [The Origin of Finnish Words]‎^[4] (in Finnish) (online version; note: also includes other etymological sources; this source is labeled "SSA 1992–2000"), Helsinki: Institute for the Languages of Finland/Finnish Literature Society, →ISBN

[1] Ante Aikio (24 March 2022), “Proto-Uralic”, in Marianne Bakró-Nagy, Johanna Laakso, Elena Skribnik, editors, The Oxford Guide to the Uralic Languages, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 24 of 3–27

[2] Kallio, Petri (2020–), “*isek”, in Yhteissuomalainen sanasto [Common Finnic Vocabulary]‎^[1] (in Finnish): "vksm. *ićǝ-k"

[3] Ante Aikio (24 March 2022), “Proto-Uralic”, in Marianne Bakró-Nagy, Johanna Laakso, Elena Skribnik, editors, The Oxford Guide to the Uralic Languages, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 13 of 3–27

[4] Santeri Junttila, Petri Kallio, Sampsa Holopainen, Juha Kuokkala, Juho Pystynen, editors (2020–), “itse”, in Suomen vanhimman sanaston etymologinen verkkosanakirja‎^[2] (in Finnish), retrieved 15 June 2026

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