Latvian

Noun

balss f (6th declension)

1. (anatomy) voice (sound produced by the human respiratory tract for speaking, singing, etc.)

   spēcīga balss‎ ― strong voice

   balss trīc, dreb‎ ― the voice trembles

   balss tembrs, spēks, augstums‎ ― voice timbre, power, pitch

   balss aparāts‎ ― speech (lit. voice) organs

   balss saites‎ ― vocal cords

   lasīt balsī‎ ― to read out loud (lit. to read in voice)

   pacelt, raudāt balsi‎ ― to lower, to raise one's voice

2. voice, intonation (how a person's voice sounds, expressing or revealing mental states)

   priecīga, skumja balss‎ ― happy, sad voice

   dusmīga, mierīga, vienaldzīga balss‎ ― angry, calm, indifferent voice

3. voice (someone who cannot be seen but can be heard)

   kadā balss ierunājās aiz muguras‎ ― some voice spoke behind (his) back

4. voice (metaphorical means of communicating feelings, mental states)

   zemes balss‎ ― the voice of the earth

   sirds balss‎ ― the voice of one's heart

5. voice (capacity for singing)

   augsta, zema balss‎ ― high, low (pitched) voice

   dziedātāja balss‎ ― a singer's voice

   balss diapazons‎ ― voice range

6. (polyphonic music) voice (single melodic line)

   augšējā balss‎ ― the upper voice

   pastāvīga balss‎ ― constant voice

   balsu kustība‎ ― voice movement

   dziedāt pirmo balsi‎ ― to sing the first voice

   dziesma divām balsīm‎ ― a song for two voices

7. voice (sounds and calls produced by animals)

   putnu balsis‎ ― bird songs

   lakstīgalas balss‎ ― nightingale's voice

8. voice (sound produced by natural phenomena or objects)

   vēja balss‎ ― the voice of the wind

9. voice (general thoughts, beliefs, of a group of people)

   tautas balss‎ ― the voice of the people

   sabiedrības balss‎ ― the voice of society, public voice

10. voice (expression of a mental state)

    naida balss‎ ― the voice of hate

    cilvēcības balss‎ ― the voice of humanity

11. voice (capacity or opportunity to express one's opinion)

    tauta, kam bija atņemta sava balss‎ ― a people who had been deprived of their voice

12. vote (citizen's will, expressed in an election, a referendum)

    nodot, atdot, dot (savu) balsi‎ ― to give one's vote, to vote

13. vote (opinion, to be counted, expressed in a debate or discussion)

    izšķirt jautājumu ar balsu vairākumu‎ ― to settle the question by majority vote

    absolūtais balsu vairākums‎ ― absolute voting majority

Declension

Derived terms

• balsene
• balsīgs, balsīgums
• balss saite

References

1. ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “balss”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, ISBN 9984-700-12-7