Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/-mi

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

From Proto-Uralic *-me, *-ne.

Suffix

*-mi

1. The first-person singular possessive ending.

Usage notes

• This is the form used in the nominative singular. The oblique form *-ni (<? *-n-mi, with initial *-n re-extracted from other inflectional suffixes, such as the genitive *-n) is used with all other cases and numbers.
• The possessive suffix follows the case suffix.

Coordinate terms

Proto-Finnic possessive suffixes

Person	Nominative singular	Oblique or plural
1st sing	*-mi	*-ni
2nd sing	*-ci	*-nci
3rd sing	*-sa	*-nsa
1st plur	*-mak	*-nak
2nd plur	*-dak	*-ndak
3rd plur	*-sak	*-nsak
Reference: Petri Kallio (2021) “Kaksikko aina kaunihimpi? Itämerensuomalaisten possessiivisuffiksien taustaa”, in Taina Saarikivi, Janne Saarikivi, editors, Turhan tiedon kirja: Tutkimuksista pois jätettyjä sivuja (Kirjokansi; 291) (in Finnish), pages 157-173

Descendants

• Finnish: -ni (< oblique *-ni, generalized to all forms), (poetic) -in (with metathesis), (obsolete, dialectal, Kymenlaakso) -m
• Ingrian: -n (< oblique *-ni)
• Karelian: (< oblique *-ni)
  • North Karelian: -ni
  • South Karelian: -ni
• Livvi: -ni (< oblique *-ni)
• Veps: -in (< oblique *-ni, with metathesis), -m