nams

Latvian

Nams (1)
Kultūras nams (4)

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *namas, from *damas, from Proto-Indo-European *dṓm (house). The irregular d > n change in Baltic is attributed either to dissimilation (in expressions like darīt namu (to make a house)), or to influence from Iranic languages (compare Avestan 𐬥𐬨𐬁𐬥𐬀 (nmāna, quarters, house) alongside 𐬛𐬆𐬨𐬁𐬥𐬀 (dəmāna), suggesting the existence of an Iranian form *nam-). Another suggestion was that Proto-Baltic *nam- could come from *nm̥- < *dm̥, the zero grade form of Proto-Indo-European *dṓm. Yet another possibility is the influence of the stem of words like Ancient Greek νέμω (némō, to tend, to distribute, to take to pasture), νομός (nomós, pasture; division, distribution; residence, dwelling). Cognates include Lithuanian nãmas, Old Church Slavonic домъ (domŭ), Belarusian, Bulgarian Russian дом (dom), Ukrainian дім (dim), Czech dům (genitive domu), Polish dom, Sanskrit दम (dáma), Old Armenian տուն (tun), Ancient Greek δόμος (dómos), Latin domus.[1]

Pronunciation

(file)

Noun

nams m (1st declension)

  1. house, building (esp. big, multi-storey, in the city)
    dzīvojamais namsresidential house
    daudzstāvu namsmulti-storey house
    vairākdzīvokļu namsmany-apartment house, building
    īres namsrent house (= apartment building, i.e., a building with apartments to rent)
  2. house, location (of a celebration)
    kāzu namswedding house (= celebration)
    nama māte, namamātehostess (of a party, celebration)
  3. a famous or rich family
    Rotšildu namsthe house (= family) of Rothschild
  4. fairly large building, or part of a building, which usually has administrative, cultural, public or commercial functions
    zinātnes un tehnikas namsHouse of Science and Technology
    kultūras namsHouse of Culture
    sporta namssports club
    mēbeļu namsfurniture house
    bērnu nams, bērnunamschildren's home (= orphanage)
    Baltais namsthe White House

Declension

Synonyms

Derived terms

References

  1. Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), nams”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

Volapük

Noun

nams

  1. plural of nam
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