Reconstruction:Proto-Celtic/-yā

This Proto-Celtic 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-Celtic

Etymology

From a reanalysis of Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ being attached to the present stem of *-yeti verbs like *gʷedyeti (“to pray”) (whence Old Irish guide (“prayer”)) and *wegyeti (“to weave”) (whence *wegyā (“something woven”)).

Suffix

*-yā f

1. Forms verbal nouns from verb stems.

   ‎*weg- (“to weave”) + ‎*-yā → ‎*wegyā (“weaving”)

   ‎*slad- (“to strike”) + ‎*-yā → ‎*sladyā (“strike”)

Usage notes

• This suffix is not the same as *-iyā (adjective nominalizer suffix), as is apparent from their different phonetic reflexes in Brittonic. In Brittonic, *-yā leaves no phonetic trace, but *-iyā results in Welsh -edd among others.
• The vocalism of the root is usually the same vocalism as the present stem of the corresponding verb.

Inflection

Feminine ā-stem
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*-yā	*-yai	*-yās
vocative	*-yā	*-yai	*-yās
accusative	*-yam	*-yai	*-yāms
genitive	*-yās	*-yous	*-yom
dative	*-yāi	*-yābom	*-yābos
locative	*-yai	*?	*?
instrumental	*?	*-yābim	*-yābis

Derived terms

Proto-Celtic terms suffixed with *-yā