# rakstīt
## Latvian
### Etymology

Originally the iterative form of rakt (“to dig”), in parallel to other forms such as rakāt, rakņāt (cf. lēkt “to jump,” lēkāt, lakstīt “to jump repeatedly”). Karulis derives rakt from Proto-Baltic *rak-, from Proto-Indo-European *rek-, *erk- (“to rip up, to rip open, to skin, to flay”), from the stem *er- (“loose, rare, sparse”) (whence also Latvian irt “to disintegrate”).
The verb rakt had earlier meanings such as “to pierce,” “to rasp,” “to scrape;” its iterative counterpart has then changed from “to scrape, rasp repeatedly” → “to make marks (on a surface), to carve” → “to write (inscriptions)” → “to write (in general).” The noun raksts is a nominalized form of the same stem; some consider it a back-formation from rakstīt, whereas others think that it is older (with the original meaning of “mark, sign”) and perhaps the original source of rakstīt, which would then be derived from it.
Cognates include Lithuanian rašýti, Sanskrit ऋक्ण (ṛkṇa, “Alternative form of वृक्ण (vṛkṇa, “cut off or down, torn; a cut”)”) and its root व्रश्च् (vraśc, “to cut down”), Hittite [script needed] (ark-, “break, crumble”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ɾakstîːt]
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### Verb

rakstīt (transitive, 3rd conjugation, present rakstu, raksti, raksta, past rakstīju)
* to write (to fix (a word, a sentence, a text by means of writing; to make, form letters with a writing instrument)
    prast labi rakstīt ― to know how to write well
    mācīties rakstīt ar rakstāmmašīnu ― to learn to type (lit. write) with a typewriter
    rakstīt diktātu ― to write a dictation
    mācīties rakstīt burtus ― to learn to write the letters, the alphabet
    tu vari rakstīt arī šos vārdus par devīzi ― you can also write these words as (your) motto
    lekcijā visus valodu piemērus profesors nekļūdīgi rakstījis no galvas ― during the class, the professor (had) written all language examples from memory without mistakes
    mēs rakstām... katru līniju, katru burta līkumu Jānis izvelk ar nopietnību ― we are writing... every line, every stroke of (every) letter Jānis drew with (full) seriousness
* to write (to send a letter, a written message, to someone)
    tu raksti tam, kas tevi sapratīs ― you (should) write to someone who understands you
* to write (to be usable for writing)
    pildspalva raksta viegli, it kā pati no sevis ― the pen writes easily, as if by itself
* to write (to compose, to create an original text, expressing one's ideas, feelings, etc.)
    rakstīt dzejoļus, lugu ― to write poems, a play
    rakstīt referāta tezes ― to write an abstract
    rakstīt ievadrakstu ― to write an introduction
    rakstīt interviju ― to write an interview
    rakstīt par dabas aizsardzību ― to write about nature conservation
    rakstīt par zinātnes sasniegumiem ― to write about the achievements of science
    franču prese daudz raksta par izglītības problēmām ― the French press writes a lot about education problems
* (of music, used only in songs, etc.) to write, to compose
    rakstīt simfoniju ― to write a symphony
    rakstīt operu ― to write opera
    bija jau sen zināms, ka Ravels ir smagi slims, ka viņš vairs nespēj mūziku rakstīt ― it had been known for a while that Ravel was very sick, that he no longer could write music
* to sew, to knit, to weave, to forge in such a way that the resulting object contains symbols, letters, patterns (of clothes, fabric, metal etc.)
    sieva auda un rakstīja cauru nakti skaistu, skaistu lakatu ― (his) wife knitted and inscribed through the night a beautiful, beautiful scarf
    rakstītos gredzenos Saule un Mēness atstarosies ― in the inscribed rings, the Sun and the Moon were reflected (= their light was reflected on the rings)

#### Antonyms

* lasīt

#### Derived terms

    prefixed verbs:
* aizrakstīt
* aprakstīt
* atrakstīt
* ierakstīt
* izrakstīt
* norakstīt
* parakstīt
* pārrakstīt
* pierakstīt
* sarakstīt
* uzrakstīt
    other derived terms:
* rakstība
* rakstīties

#### Related terms

* rakstisks
* rakstnieks, rakstniece, rakstniecība
* raksts

### References

* ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “rakstīt”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎ (in Latvian), volume 2, Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN, pages 102-3