Kādas ādas atrodam 17. gadsimta latviešu rakstu avotos

Abstract

In the article, the word āda, which is the entry for the Historical Dictionary of Latvian (16th–17th centuries), as well as other formatives with this word and word groups, are discussed. In the 17th century’s texts, the word āda is frequently used in two meanings – ‘skin (human or animal)’ and ‘leather’; there are also characteristic word groups with this word. Writing the Historical Dictionary, different problematic questions appear, this time mainly connected with the semantics of word groups, derivatives, or compounds. It is difficult to distinguish the free word groups from idioms, namely, to determine when the transfer of the sense has happened. In Latvian, the source of many idioms is the Bible, especially the first translation at the end of the 17th century (1685–1694) carried out by Ernst Glück. Therefore, considering Latvian texts of the 17th century, often a question appears, whether the word group is used in its direct meaning or it is an idiom, for example, āda niez ‘skin itches’, ādu dīrāt ‘to skin’, ādu noplēst ‘to rip off the skin’ etc. The word āda has some interesting derivatives and compounds in the early texts, for example, priekšāda ‘foreskin’, ādminis ‘skinner’, ādainis ‘made from leather’ etc. To discuss the semantics of words, word groups of the religious texts, a comparison with later translations of the Bible is very useful. The word āda in the 17th century’s texts is a component of such a unique word group as takas āda, meaning ‘leather of unknown animal’. To make conclusions about the name of this animal it probably would be useful to study the Bible texts in original languages.