sarkans

Latvian

Alternative forms

Etymology

Derived from a dialectal adjective sarks (“red, pink”), from Proto-Baltic *sark- (whence also sarkt (“to blush”), from Proto-Indo-European *ser-, *sar- (“red, pink”), with an extra -k. In the dialects that have the simple adjective sarks, sarkans has the meaning “reddish.” Cognates include Lithuanian dialectal sárkanas (“bright, clear, light; pink”), Proto-Scythian *suxrí (“bright”), Persian سرخ (sorx, “red”), Northern Kurdish sor (“red”).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [sâɾkans]

Adjective

Sarkans

sarkans (definite sarkanais, comparative sarkanāks, superlative vissarkanākais, adverb sarkani)

  1. red (having the color of, e.g., blood)
    tumši, gaiši, koši sarkans ― dark, light, bright red
    ugunīgi sarkans ― fiery red
    sarkani ziedi, rozes ― red flowers, roses
    sarkana gaisma, blāzma ― red light, glow
    sarkana signāluguns ― red beacon
    sarkans karogs ― red flag
    sarkans kā biete, kā asins ― red as beet, as blood
    sarkanie asinsķermenīši ― red blood cells
    Sarkanais Krusts ― the Red Cross
  2. red, brownish red (having a tone or hue similar to red when compared to other related elements)
    sarkani mati ― red hair
    sarkana govs ― red cow
    sarkanie galviņkāposti ― red cabbage
    sarkanie ķieģeļi ― red bricks
    sarkanais kaviārs ― red caviar
  3. red (relating to communism; more specifically, realting to the former Soviet Red Army)
    Sarkanā Armija ― the Red Army
    sarkanā gvarde ― the red guard (1917 workers' division)
    latviešu sarkanie strēlnieki ― Latvian red riflemen (those who fought for the Bolsheviks)
    sarkanais karogs ― the red flag

Declension

Derived terms

See also

Colors in Latvian · krāsas (layout · text)
     balts      pelēks      melns
             sarkans, sārts              oranžs; brūns              dzeltens
                          zaļš             
             zilzaļš, ciāns                           zils
             violets; zilganviolets, indigo              fuksīns; violets              rozā

References

  1. Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “sarkans”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN
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