darbs
According to Derksen, ultimately fromProto-Indo-European*dʰr̥Hbʰ-, a zero-grade of*(s)dʰerHbʰ-(“to exert force”). Cognate withdir̂bt(“to walk fast”),Lithuaniandi̇̀rbti(“to work”),Proto-Germanic*derbaną(“to work”).[1]
An older theory by Karulis derives the term fromProto-Baltic*darbas, fromProto-Indo-European*der-,*dar-(“to tear, to split”). In this analysis, the original meaning was, according to some researchers, “till, plow” (compareRussianдерба́(derbá,“breaking; newly ploughed field”); the object of this work isOld Norsetorf,torfa(“turf, sod, peat”),GermanTorf(“peat”),Englishturf, which has the same origin asRussianдёрн(djorn,“sod, turf”)) or, according to others, “wicker-work, wattling, weaving” (compareBelarusianдо́раб(dórab,“basket”) (< Proto-Slavic*dorbь),даро́віць(daróvicʹ,“to bend”)). Cognates includeLithuaniandárbas.[2]
darbs m (1st declension)
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | darbs | darbi |
| genitive | darba | darbu |
| dative | darbam | darbiem |
| accusative | darbu | darbus |
| instrumental | darbu | darbiem |
| locative | darbā | darbos |
| vocative | darb | darbi |