сембе

This term corresponds to the pronoun ся (śa, “that”) with an element -mp/-mb which is cognate with Finnish -mpi and Hungarian -bb (comparative suffix). Moksha омба (omba, “other”) (> омбоце (omboće, “second”)) is derived the same way, with the element o- of pronominal origin. These are some of the only vestiges of this conjectured -mb suffix in the Mordvinic languages.

Serebrennikov, however, thinks that analytic/periphrastic formation of comparatives of adjectives was the original Uralic way of doing this. On the question what function this suffix served then, he offers Komi-Zyrian -ӧб (-öb), e.g., резӧб (rezöb, “lively, perky”), Wichmann, considering -õb a descendant of *-mb, called such formations nomina augmentativa or intensiva, thus this suffix would have served to intensify possession of some characteristic. In Moksha a different suffix (-нга (-nga) added to the ablative) is used as an intensifier,[1] this is apparently how the comparative preposition сядонга (śadonga) is derived but it is productive with other nominals as well.

Comparatives are otherwise expressed periphrastically in Moksha, see, for example, сире (śiŕe, “old”).

• IPA^(key): /sʲemʲbʲæ/[2]

сембе • (śembä)

1. all
   • O. Je. Poljakov (1995) Učimsja govoritʹ po-mokšanski [Let's learn to speak Moksha], Saransk: Mordovskoje knižnoje izdatelʹstvo, →ISBN, page 19

     Азан спасиба сембонкса!

     Azan spaśiba śembonksa !

     I thank you for everything!

   • V. I. Ščankina (2011) Russko-mokšansko-erzjanskij slovarʹ [Russian-Moksha-Erzya Dictionary], Saransk, →ISBN

     сивомс сембонь

     śivoms śemboń

     to eat up (lit. "to eat of all")

     сембонь, марнек (совсем)

     śemboń , marńek (sovśem)

     entirely, entirely (entirely [in Russian])

     аф сембонди содама

     af śembonďi sodama

     hidden, secret (lit. "not knowledge to everyone")

     сембоса

     śembosa

     all around, in entirety

     так или иначе — сембе сяка

     tak iľi inače — śembe śaka

     either way ~ all the same [in Russian] — either way ~ all the same

• сембода (śemboda)
• сембе сяка (śembe śaka)
• сембонь (śemboń)
• сембоса (śembosa)