-ska

See also: ska, SKA, and skA

Finnish

Etymology 1

Probably -s +‎ -(k)ka.

Suffix

-ska (front vowel harmony variant -skä, linguistic notation -skA)

1. Forms diminutive nouns.

Derived terms

Finnish terms suffixed with -ska (diminutive)

• -skari
• -ski
• -sko
• -sku

 

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Swedish -ska, as used in older Swedish as a suffix used to derive feminine nouns (such as sångare → sångerska, major → majorska).

Suffix

-ska (front vowel harmony variant -skä, linguistic notation -skA) (colloquial, archaic)

1. (now humoristic) Used to transform husband's family name or title to a term for addressing or speaking of a married woman. Used especially with family names ending with -nen and titles ending -ri.

   ‎Virtanen + ‎-ska → ‎Virtaska

   ‎pastori + ‎-ska → ‎pastorska

   ‎kamreeri + ‎-ska → ‎kamreerska

Anagrams

• -kas, SAK, kas

Icelandic

Etymology 1

Suffix

-ska f (noun-forming suffix, genitive singular -sku, no plural)

1. forms names of languages from countries or demonyms

   ‎Japan (“Japan”) + ‎-ska → ‎japanska (“Japanese”)

   ‎Úkraína (“Ukraine”) + ‎-ska → ‎úkraínska (“Ukrainian”)

   ‎Laos (“Laos”) + ‎-ska → ‎laoska (“Lao, Laotian”)

Declension

Declension of -ska (sg-only feminine)

	singular
	indefinite	definite
nominative	-ska	-skan
accusative	-sku	-skuna
dative	-sku	-skunni
genitive	-sku	-skunnar

Derived terms

• -eska, -neska, -íska, -verska

Etymology 2

Suffix

-ska f (noun-forming suffix, genitive singular -sku, no plural)

1. forms abstract nouns from nouns, verbs and adjectives

   ‎illur (“evil”) + ‎-ska → ‎illska (“evil”)

   ‎gleyma (“to forget”) + ‎-ska → ‎gleymska (“forgetfulness”)

   ‎heimur (“world”) (originally “abode, home”) + ‎-ska → ‎heimska (“stupidity”) (originally “naiveté, the state of not leaving one's home much”)

Declension

Declension of -ska (sg-only feminine)

	singular
	indefinite	definite
nominative	-ska	-skan
accusative	-sku	-skuna
dative	-sku	-skunni
genitive	-sku	-skunnar

Derived terms

• -mennska

Lower Sorbian

Suffix

-ska f

1. used to form the names of countries and regions

Derived terms

Lower Sorbian terms suffixed with -ska

Polish

Etymology 1

Coalesced from Proto-Slavic *-ьskaja (definite feminine relational adjective suffix). Cognate with Czech -ská, Slovak -ská; Belarusian -ская (-skaja), -ска́я (-skája); etc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ska/
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: [please specify syllabification manually]
• Homophone: ska

Suffix

-ska

1. feminine nominative singular of -ski
2. forms surnames

Alternative forms

• -cka, -zka

Derived terms

Polish terms suffixed with -ska

Descendants

• → English: -ska
• ⇒ Ukrainian: -ська (-sʹka), -ська́ (-sʹká); (after -л- (-l-)) -ьска (-ʹska), -ьська́ (-ʹsʹká) (influenced)
• ⇒ Carpathian Rusyn: -ьска (-ʹska), -ьска́ (-ʹská); (after a labial consonant) -ска (-ska), -ска́ (-ská) (influenced)

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ьska (genitive).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ska/
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: [please specify syllabification manually]

Suffix

-ska

1. masculine genitive singular of -sk

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ska/

Adjective

-ska

1. feminine nominative singular of -sky

Swedish

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-ska f

1. Signifies a female (particularly after professions and nationalities); -ess

   en spanjor och spanjorska ― a Spaniard and Spaniardess

   en kassör och kassörska ― a cashier and cashieress

2. (historical) Added to the husband's occupation title to form a courtesy title for the wife or widow.

   en direktörska ― a wife of a director (literally, “a directoress”)

   en kaptenska ― a wife of a captain (literally, “a captainess”)

3. Denotes that the object is related to the aforementioned person or family; -ian, of

   Sahlgrenska Universitetssjukhuset

   The Sahlgrenian University Hospital (named after Niclas Sahlgren)

   Callanderska gården

   The Callanderian estate (named after Sofia Nordvaeger, née Callander)

   • 1815 August 9, N. S. Colliander, “Allmän Kungörelse [Publick Notice]”, in Wexiö Tidning, number 61, page 4:

     Till Gyllenpalmska Famillen hafva sedan sista redovisning influtit: En skärf från 2:ne Enkor till den fattiga famillen. Många bäckar små göra en stor å, 2 R:dr R:gd d. 17 Juli 1815.

     Unto the Family of Gyllenpalm hath since the last account been received: A small gift from two widows to the poor family. Many a little makes a mickle, 2 Rixdollars, the 17th of July, 1815.

     (literally, “Unto the Gyllenpalmian Family […] ”)

Usage notes

In older practice, a husband's title suffixed with -ska formed a title for his wife. For example, the wife of a captain (kapten) would be a kaptenska ("captainess"). This practice gradually began dying out around the 1950s. See the article on du-reformen on Wikipedia for more information.

Derived terms

Swedish terms suffixed with -ska

See also

• -erska
• -inna
• fru
• fröken
• herr