dzeltens

Latvian

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dzeltens

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Alternative forms

• (dialectal forms) dzeltēns, dzeltāns, dzeltains

Etymology

Derived ( +‎ -ens) from an old adjective dzelts (“yellow”), found in old folk songs, and still in some dialects, but not in the standard language anymore (possibly due to homophony with dzelts (“stung, pricked”)). It was the past participle of *dzelt, from Proto-Baltic *gel-, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *gilˀtas, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃- (“to shine”) (whence also zelts (“gold”) and other color terms: compare zils (“blue”), zaļš (“green”)).

Cognates include Lithuanian geltónas, Old Prussian gelatynan (probably a mistranscribed geltaynan; neut. pl.?), Proto-Slavic *žьltъ (< *gilt-) (Russian жёлтый (žóltyj), Belarusian жо́ўты (žóŭty), Ukrainian жо́втий (žóvtyj), Bulgarian жълт (žǎlt), Czech žlutý, Polish żółty).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Adjective

dzeltens (definite dzeltenais, comparative dzeltenāks, superlative visdzeltenākais, adverb dzelteni)

1. yellow (having the color of, e.g., gold, or of the dandelion flower)

   tumši, gaiši, koši dzeltens ― dark, light, bright yellow

   dzeltens zieds ― yellow flower

   dzeltens taurenis ― yellow butterfly

   dzeltena krāsa, gaisma ― yellow color, light

   dzeltens papīrs ― yellow paper

2. yellow (the color of old leaves)

   parkā rudens vējš dzenā dzeltenas, sakaltušas lapas ― in the park, the autumn wind drives the yellow, dried leaves away

3. yellow (without color, pale and unhealthy)

   dzeltens kā vasks ― yellow as wax (i.e., very unhealthy)

4. yellow (having a slightly darker skin color)

   dzeltenā rase ― the yellow race

   ūdeņraža bumba nepazīst izņēmumu; tai ir vienādi visi: baltie, dzeltenie un melnie ― the hydrogen bomb knows no exceptions; to it, all people are the same: white, yellow, or black

Declension

Derived terms

• dzeltenums
• iedzeltens, dzeltenīgs, dzeltengans

See also

References