Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/-nikъ

This Proto-Slavic 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-Slavic

Etymology

Compound of *-nъ +‎ *-ikъ, cognate with Latvian -nieks.

The form *-nikъ seems to be prevalent mainly in East and South Slavic. West Slavic uses instead *-nьcь (from *-nъ +‎ *-ьcь), e.g. Polish pomazaniec, wybraniec.

Suffix

*-nikъ m

1. From verbal root-stems, forms agent or object nouns.

   *podati (“to yield”) → *podanikъ (“subject”)

   *vъstati (“to rise up”) → *vъstanikъ (“rebel, insurgent”)

2. From nominal root-stems, forms object nouns.

   *věja (“branch”) → *věnikъ (“wreath”)

Usage notes

• In East Slavic, the suffix has been reanalyzed as duplication of *-n- +‎ *-ьnikъ, as in Russian избра́нник (izbránnik), помаза́нник (pomazánnik).
• The related terms are significantly more productive than the current root-based suffix.

Declension

Declension of *-nikъ (hard o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*-nikъ	*-nika	*-nici
genitive	*-nika	*-niku	*-nikъ
dative	*-niku	*-nikoma	*-nikomъ
accusative	*-nikъ	*-nika	*-niky
instrumental	*-nikъmь, *-nikomь*	*-nikoma	*-niky
locative	*-nicě	*-niku	*-nicěxъ
vocative	*-niče	*-nika	*-nici

^* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.

Alternative forms

• *-nьcь

Related terms

• *-ьnikъ = *-ьnъ +‎ *-ikъ
• *-enikъ = *-enъ +‎ *-ikъ
• *-anikъ = *-anъ +‎ *-ikъ
• *-ěnikъ = *-ěnъ +‎ *-ikъ (rare)