Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/-sa

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.

From Proto-Uralic *-sa, *-nsa.

*-sa / *-sä

1. The third-person singular possessive ending.

• This is the form used in the nominative singular. The oblique form *-nsa (with initial *-n re-extracted from other inflectional suffixes, such as the genitive *-n) is used with all other cases and numbers.^[1]
• Has largely merged with the plural form *-sak in descendants, often in favour of the plural form.
• As per usual rules (of 'suffixal gradation'), the consonant *-s- undergoes lenition to *-h- when preceded by an unstressed syllable (and a vowel).
• The possessive suffix follows the case suffix.
• In Northern Finnic (more specifically in Eastern Finnish, Karelian and Ingrian), an originally reflexive suffix *-sën / *-hën has replaced this suffix.

• >? Finnish: (dialectal) -sa (or more likely < *-sak)