rakstīt

Latvian

Etymology

Originally the iterative form of rakt (to dig), in parallel to other forms such as rakāt, rakņāt (cf. lēkt “to jump,” lēkāt, lakstīt “to jump repeatedly”), from Proto-Baltic *rak-, from Proto-Indo-European *rek-, *erk- (to rip up, to rip open, to skin, to flay), from the stem *er- (loose, rare, sparse) (whence also Latvian irt “to disintegrate”). The verb rakt had earlier meanings such as “to pierce,” “to rasp,” “to scrape;” its iterative counterpart has then changed from “to scrape, rasp repeatedly” → “to make marks (on a surface), to carve” → “to write (inscriptions)” → “to write (in general).” The noun raksts is a nominalized form of the same stem; some consider it a back-formation from rakstīt, whereas others think that it is older (with the original meaning of “mark, sign”) and perhaps the original source of rakstīt, which would then be derived from it. Cognates include Lithuanian rašýti.[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ɾakstîːt]

Verb

rakstīt tr., 3rd conj., pres. rakstu, raksti, raksta, past rakstīju

  1. to write (to fix (a word, a sentence, a text by means of writing; to make, form letters with a writing instrument)
    prast labi rakstītto know how to write well
    mācīties rakstīt ar rakstāmmašīnuto learn to type (lit. write) with a typewriter
    rakstīt diktātuto write a dictation
    mācīties rakstīt burtusto learn to write the letters, the alphabet
    tu vari rakstīt arī šos vārdus par devīziyou can also write these words as (your) motto
    lekcijā visus valodu piemērus profesors nekļūdīgi rakstījis no galvasduring the class, the professor (had) written all language examples from memory without mistakes
    mēs rakstām... katru līniju, katru burta līkumu Jānis izvelk ar nopietnībuwe are writing... every line, every stroke of (every) letter Jānis drew with (full) seriousness
  2. to write (to send a letter, a written message, to someone)
    tu raksti tam, kas tevi sapratīsyou (should) write to someone who understands you
  3. to write (to be usable for writing)
    pildspalva raksta viegli, it kā pati no sevisthe pen writes easily, as if by itself
  4. to write (to compose, to create an original text, expressing one's ideas, feelings, etc.)
    rakstīt dzejoļus, luguto write poems, a play
    rakstīt referāta tezesto write an abstract
    rakstīt ievadrakstuto write an introduction
    rakstīt intervijuto write an interview
    rakstīt par dabas aizsardzībuto write about nature conservation
    rakstīt par zinātnes sasniegumiemto write about the achievements of science
    franču prese daudz raksta par izglītības problēmāmthe French press writes a lot about education problems
  5. (of music, songs, etc.) to write, to compose
    rakstīt simfonijuto write a symphony
    rakstīt operuto write opera
    bija jau sen zināms, ka Ravels ir smagi slims, ka viņš vairs nespēj mūziku rakstītit had been known for a while that Ravel was very sick, that he no longer could write music
  6. (of clothes, fabric, metal etc.) to sew, to knit, to weave, to forge in such a way that the resulting object contains symbols, letters, patterns
    sieva auda un rakstīja cauru nakti skaistu, skaistu lakatu(his) wife knitted and inscribed through the night a beautiful, beautiful scarf
    rakstītos gredzenos Saule un Mēness atstarosiesin the inscribed rings, the Sun and the Moon were reflected (= their light was reflected on the rings)

Conjugation

Antonyms

Derived terms

prefixed verbs:
  • aizrakstīt
  • aprakstīt
  • atrakstīt
  • ierakstīt
  • izrakstīt
  • norakstīt
  • parakstīt
  • pārrakstīt
  • pierakstīt
  • sarakstīt
  • uzrakstīt
other derived terms:

References

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