While Latin is the primary language I have studied in school (I try to forget the dark lands of Rosetta Stone French), I am interested in other languages as well.
One that has always puzzled and fascinated me is Romanian – an island of Romance language amidst a sea of Slavic (and some Hungarian).
What I have never quite understood about Romanian is why so many of the words seem to terminate in -u.
(For example, consider all those -escu surnames!)
I find this strange because -u endings are relatively rare in Latin.
As far is I know, they only show up in the ablative supine and in some 4th-declension noun cases.
Does anyone have an idea of how these -u endings entered Romanian and why they are so prevalent?
Thank you!
Cornelius
One that has always puzzled and fascinated me is Romanian – an island of Romance language amidst a sea of Slavic (and some Hungarian).
What I have never quite understood about Romanian is why so many of the words seem to terminate in -u.
(For example, consider all those -escu surnames!)
I find this strange because -u endings are relatively rare in Latin.
As far is I know, they only show up in the ablative supine and in some 4th-declension noun cases.
Does anyone have an idea of how these -u endings entered Romanian and why they are so prevalent?
Thank you!
Cornelius