Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/kolmi

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

Proto-Finnic cardinal numbers

<  2	3	4  >
Cardinal : *kolmi     Ordinal : *kolmanci

Etymology

From Proto-Finno-Ugric *kolme. Many descendants point to an extended variant *kolmët. Compare also Eastern Mari кумыт (kumyt), predicative form of кум (kum, “3”); *kolmë was probably derived from this through deletion of the word-final *-t, and is found in several descendants. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term. explain *-t

Numeral

*kolmi

1. three

Inflection

Inflection of *kolmi

Note: The Proto-Finnic declension system is yet to be reconstructed in detail. What is presented here is only one possibility.
		singular	plural
nominative		*kolmi	*kolmët
accusative		*kolmën	*kolmët
genitive		*kolmën	*kolmëdën *kolmidën
partitive		*kolmëda	*kolmida
inessive		*kolmëssa *kolmëhna	*kolmissa *kolmihna
elative		*kolmësta	*kolmista
illative		*kolmëhën	*kolmihën
adessive		*kolmëlla	*kolmilla
ablative		*kolmëlta	*kolmilta
allative		*kolmëlën *kolmëlëk	*kolmilën *kolmilëk
essive		*kolmëna	*kolmina
translative		*kolmëksi	*kolmiksi
instructive		*kolmën	*kolmin
comitative		*kolmënëk	*kolminëk
abessive		*kolmëtta	*kolmitta

Derived terms

• *kolmikkoi

Descendants

• Estonian: kolm
• Finnish: kolmi (dialectal, rare; with a sporadic distribution, so might be by later analogy)
• Karelian:
  • North Karelian: kolmi
• Livonian:
  • Courland Livonian: kuolm
  • Vidzeme Livonian: kolm
• Võro: kolm

From *kolmët:

• Finnish: kolme(ˣ) (with final gemination; primarily Western Finnish), kolmet, kolomet (Savonia, rare)
• Ingrian: kolt (with syncope)
• Votic: kõlmõd

From *kolmë (see the etymology section above):

• Finnish: kolme (without final gemination; primarily Savonia and Karelia)
• Karelian:
  • North Karelian: kolme
  • South Karelian: kolme
• Livvi: kolme
• Ludian: kolme
• Veps: koume

Further reading

• Lauri Kettunen: Suomen murteet III A. Murrekartasto, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, Helsinki 1940. Map #35. (Online link http://kettunen.fnhost.org/html/kett035.html)
• “kolme”, in Suomen murteiden sanakirja‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, incomplete, continuously updated), Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten keskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2022, →ISSN.