dārzs

This word has the same origin as zārds (“rickstand”) (q.v.), from which it originated by metathesis. The different intonation (dārzs has a falling [àː], while zārds has a level [āː]) is probably explained by the change in meaning, and may have preceded the metathesis; cf. the intonation change in Lithuanian žárdas (“forked branch, rickstand”), žárdis (“pole”), but žar̃dis (“horse, cattle corral; (arch.) garden”). The meaning change would then have been: “wooden structure” > “fence” > “fenced area” (cf. below zirgu dārzs “horse corral”, and metaphorically also mēness dārzs “moon ring”) > “garden.” Cognates include Lithuanian dar̃žas.[1]

• IPA^(key): [dàːɾs]

dārzs m (1st declension)

1. garden (a piece of land used for growing specific vegetable species, flowers, crops, etc.)

   piemājas dārzs ― backyard garden

   skolas dārzs ― school garden

   sakņu dārzs ― vegetable (lit. roots) garden

   augļu dārzs ― orchard (lit. fruit garden)

   puķu dārzs ― flower garden

   dārza žogs ― garden fence

   dārza zeme ― garden land

   dārza zāģis ― garden saw

   dārza māja ― garden cottage (lit. house)

   dārza zemenes ― garden strawberries (i.e., not wild)

   uzrakt dārzu ― to dig up a garden

   ravēt dārzu ― to weed a garden

   dārzā rindās kā sargi stāvēja ķirši ar tikko kā sarkt sākušiem ogu čemuriem ― in lines in the garden, like guards, stood the cherry (trees) which had just started to produce red berry clusters

2. (rare) a place where wild trees grow in bulk

   Žanis Vītols vēl atceras, cik ļoti dēlam patika liepu dārzs, kas bija tepat pie dravas ― Žanis Vītols still remembers how much (his) son liked the linden garden that was right here by the apiary

3. garden, park (a planted area with paths for walking)

   pilsētas dārzi un parki ― a city's gardens and parks

   dārza kafejnīca ― garden cafe

   ainavu dārzs ― landscape garden

   dārzu arhitektūra ― garden architecture (i.e., the design of gardens and parks)

   Rīgas centrā ir tik daudz parku, kuru dēļ to dēvē par dārzu pilsētu ― in the center of Riga there are so many parks that because of them they call it (= Riga) the garden city

4. enclosure for holding animals, corral, pen

   zirgu dārzs ― horse corral

   koku dārzs ― limber corral (enclosure in a watercourse for floating timber, felled trees)

   tas nebūs aploks, bet vistu dārzs ― that will not be a corral, but (just) a chicken pen

5. ring of light around the moon or the sun

   kad taisās lietus, tad ap mēnesi var redzēt gaišu riņķi: mēness dārzu ― when it is going to rain, then one can see around the moon a bright ring: the moon's enclosure

• (of "park"): parks
• (of "enclosure for animals"): aploks
• (of "ring of light"): apdārzs