īpašs

Originally a compound, from an old third-person pronominal element *i- (whence also Latvian it, q.v.) and the (reflexive) pronominal element pats. An original u-stem *īpatus became īpats (“peculiar”) (more frequently īpatnējs), while a parallel i-stem form yielded īpašs (such pairs were frequent, sometimes suriving to the present day; cf. e.g. plats and plašs). The meaning has varied throughout time, from “its own,” “self” (17th century) to “s/he/it him/her/itself” (18th century) to finally the modern sense of “special” (19th century). Cognates include Lithuanian ypatùs (“special, peculiar, different”).^[1]

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īpašs (definite īpašais, comparative īpašāks, superlative visīpašākais, adverb īpaši)

1. specific, independent (separate from others)

   viņam bija uzlikts tas pats ēdiens uz īpaša galdiņa ― he was served the same dish on a special table

   vārda dienā jau mēdz ierasties bez īpašas aicināšanas! ― people come on (one's) name day without special invitation!

2. special, particular, specific (different from others, from usual)

   pievērst, veltīt īpašu uzmanību ― to pay special attention

   šī bija īpaša diena ― this was a special day

   vai kaut kas īpašs noticis? ― has anything special happened?

   viņa strādāja labi, ar īpašu dedzību ― she worked well, with special zeal

3. specific, peculiar, unusual, unique, distinct

   Ārija parausta plecus tādā īpašā manierē, citas meitenes to neprot ― Ārija shrugs (her) shoulds in such a unique manner, the other girls can't do it

   katra laikmeta dzīve atklājas īpašos konfliktos, īpašos sižetos un tēlos ― the life of every era appears in (its) specific conflicts, in (its) speciic plots and characters

   tulkojumi ir īpašs literatūras žanrs ar savu specifiku ― translations are a distinct literary genre with its own specificities

4. (adverbial form) especially, specifically, on purpose, deliberately

   Juzītis pats tikko esot te bijis, īpaši braucis no Rīgas, lai viņu apciemotu! ― Juzītis himself had just been there, (having) traveled from Riga specifically to visit him

• (of "particular", "peculiar"): īpats, īpatns, īpatnējs, savdabīgs
• (of "specific", "distinct"): raksturīgs

• īpašība
• īpašnieks, īpašniece
• īpašums

• īpats, īpatns, īpatnējs
• pats