pulkstenis

Latvian

Sienas pulkstenis

Alternative forms

• (dialectal form) pulkstens

Etymology

There are various theories about the origin of this word, originally meaning “church bell.” The most likely to be true derives it from an unattested verb *pulsēt (“to produce sound”) (compare archaic pulstens, dialectal pulstenis (“bell”), pulkstiens (“bell sound, toll”)) > *pulksēt with an epenthetic k and the nominalizing suffix -enis. Other suggestions include deriving pulkstenis from pulks (“regiment, military unit”) and stenēt (“to groan, to make noise”) (i.e., the regiment's noisy one); from borrowed terms, Middle Low German puls (“hit, blow, touch”) and stēn (“stone”); from an old verb pult meaning “to fall” (since that which strikes a bell “falls” on it); from a compound of puls- and sitiens, sitenis “blow”, with an intrusive k. The word was already mentioned in a 1585 catechism (as stundu pulksten(is), “hour bell,” i.e., “clock”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pùlkstɛnis]

Noun

pulkstenis m (2nd declension)

1. clock, watch (instrument to measure time)

   mehāniskais, elektroniskais pulkstenis ― mechanical, electronic clock

   sudraba, zelta pulkstenis ― silver, golden watch

   pulkstenis tikšķ ― the clock is ticking

   pulksteņa rādītāji ― the hands of a clock

   pulksteņa svārsts ― clock pendulum

   labot pulksteni ― to fix the clock

   rokas pulkstenis ― wrist (lit. arm) watch

   kabatas pulkstenis ― pocket watch

   galda, sienas, torņa pulkstenis ― table, wall, tower clock

   modinātāja pulkstenis, modinātājpulkstenis ― alarm clock

   saules pulkstenis ― sun clock

   smilšu pulkstenis ― hourglass (lit. sand clock)

   biloģiskais pulkstenis ― biological clock

   pulkstenis ir ātrs, iet par ātru ― the clock is fast

   pulkstenis iet priekšā, ir priekšā ― the clock is fast

   pulkstenis ir vēls, iet par lēnu ― the clock is late

2. the time

   pulkstenis ir četri ― it is four o'clock

   pulkstenis vēl nebija pusseptiņi ― it wasn't half past six yet

   cik ir pulkstenis? ― what time is it?

Declension

Declension of pulkstenis (2nd declension)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	pulkstenis	pulksteņi
accusative (akuzatīvs)	pulksteni	pulksteņus
genitive (ģenitīvs)	pulksteņa	pulksteņu
dative (datīvs)	pulkstenim	pulksteņiem
instrumental (instrumentālis)	pulksteni	pulksteņiem
locative (lokatīvs)	pulkstenī	pulksteņos
vocative (vokatīvs)	pulksteni	pulksteņi

Synonyms

• (obsolete terms) stundenis, stundenieks

Derived terms

• modinātājpulkstenis, modinātāja pulkstenis

Related terms

• pulksten