# koh.d- // koh.t- ?



## ThomasK

Are most of the _koh_- words etymologically related? I wonder... I can see *kohti*, meaning something like_ 'upwards' _(rising, lifting), 'towards', *kohtaan*, opposite or with respect to, I think (which I suppose lead to treatment, _kohtelu_, polite, _kohtelus_, etc.), even turbulence... Are they linked etymologically?

_Background: I am interested in how words (and concepts) in languages are linked, have some common origin and then 'diverge', have no real ambition to learn (to speak) the language... _


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## DrWatson

Below I've gathered some words that, based on my intuition and knowledge of word derivation, are probably related. The basic stem in each of them is _kohta : kohda-_, which is a word on its own too with the meaning "place, point, part".

*kohdata* 'to meet, come across, encounter'→ *kohtaus* 'encounter, meeting; scene; seizure; incident'
→ *kohtuu(s)* 'moderation, fairness'​*kohdella* 'to treat, handle'→ *kohtelias* 'polite'​*kohtalo* 'fate, destiny'
*kohtaan* 'towards, with regard to'
*kohden* 'towards; per'
*kohti* 'towards; per, for'
*kohdistaa* 'to direct, focus, aim, target'
*kohde* 'target, destination'→ *kohdentaa* 'to allocate'​ 
In addition, there is a word *kohtu* 'womb', but I can't say for sure whether it is related to_ kohta_ or not.


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## ThomasK

Great information. Is there some way to explain the transition (...)* from kohdata to *_*kohtus *_(I think there were some more words referring to moderation). I cannot s ee any logic right now, except for some far-fetched one... 
Isn't there also something like _*to turn to *_(to direct oneself to), and something like _*kohu*_, brouhaha or something the like ?


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## DrWatson

I had primarily morphological reasons in mind with *kohdata → kohtuu*, since this type of derivation is possible (albeit improductive in modern Finnish) from the so called "contracted verbs": analogous cases are eg. *hakata* 'hit, cut down' → *hakkuu* 'cutting down (trees)' and *taata* 'assure, guarantee' → *takuu* 'warranty'. 

Now that I think about it, I reckon *kohtuus *could be a direct derivation of _kohta_, since _-uus __ -uute-_) is a common derivational suffix that often carries the meaning "the property of (being) X', for example *julma* 'cruel' → *julmuus* 'cruelty', *orja* 'slave' → *orjuus* 'slavery', *nuori* 'young' → *nuoruus* 'youth'. Semantically the words are indeed distant. Perhaps the logic behind it is that moderation is like the meeting of supply and demand (or expectations and reality)? I think this is more evident in the caritive derivation *kohtuuton* ("_without *kohtuu*"_) 'unreasonable, unfair'.

I'm not sure what verb you have in mind. *Kohu* 'commotion, uproar, fuss' has most likely nothing to do with this, since it comes from the verb *kohista* 'hum, roar; make a fuss over smth' which is probably descriptive or onomatopoeic of origin.


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## ThomasK

Great information, thanks. It gives me insights, and stimulates further research.


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