Collectives in "-bje" in Slavic Cover Image

Zbirne imenice na "-bje" u slavenskim jezicima
Collectives in "-bje" in Slavic

Author(s): Ranko Matasović
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: Hrvatsko filološko društvo
Keywords: collectives; slavic languages; Proto-slavic language; suffix; archaisms

Summary/Abstract: This paper refutes the received opinion that the Slavic collective suffix -bje should be derived from a putative PIE suffix *-iyo-. It is argued that the suffix -t>je is a regular development of the PIE collective formant "-ey- / -i-, discovered by N. Oettinger (1995. 1999). Besides Greek and Ilittite, this suffix was preserved in Slavic in its original function; moreover, Proto-Slavic appears to be the only Indo-European language where the suffix remained at least partially productive.

  • Issue Year: 2005
  • Issue No: 59-60
  • Page Range: 35-39
  • Page Count: 4
  • Language: English