-ik-
| Type: | derivational |
|---|---|
| Function: | hypocoristic (?) |
| Language: | Celtic |
| Phonemic analysis: | -/ik/- |
| From PIE: | *-i-k(o)- |
| From Proto-Celtic: | *-ik- |
| Attestation: | kasikos, matikios, piriχio, uedicou, uericou |
Commentary
Adjectival k-suffix, indicating appurtenance; -ik- through recutting (cf. cf. -uk- and -āk-). See Russell 1990: 8–12 for the IE evidence. In Celtic, lexical and onomastic Ir. -ach, MW -ic, ModW -ig/-eg, Corn. -ic, OBret. -ic/-ec (Insular Celtic material in Russell 1990). See Russell 1990: 29–116 for the distribution and derivation of the Insular Celtic suffixes, and specifically p. 68–76 on -īk- vs. -ik. Continental Celtic, where the length can be determined, has only the variant with short i (ibid. p. 70; Lambert 1994: 34). On the continent, the suffix cannot always be certainly identified as Celtic, as it is also productive in Latin, Venetic and Greek (Russell 1988: 131). It is frequent in Continental Celtic primarily in ethnonyms (cf. also G-203 ματρεβο ναμαυσικαβο 'to the Mothers of Nîmes'), but rare in personal names (Russell 1990: 14 f., Stüber 2005: 72).
