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Recently, I was reminded of 手ずから again and connected it to 自ら{みずか} and おのずから
this time. I was wondering if the structure ずから is used anywhere else? Some
research seems to indicate that might be related to つ+柄.
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2020-06-26T00:59:28.203
78236
2020-06-26T13:16:04.533
10045
question
etymology
Is ずから a productive structure?
I researched and found some words which have similar meaning with these
samples.

  * 口ずから (by one's own mouth)
  * 足ずから (by one's own feet)
  * 心ずから (by one's own heart/will)

As a different meaning, ず+から seems to lead a meaning of relationship.

  * 隣ずから (with relationship of next to each other)
  * いとこずから (with relationship of cousins)

In my experience, these words I shared are rare especially in modern Japanese.

As you mentioned, this pattern seems to be derived from "つ"(one of particle) +
"柄"(essence) like "身つ柄" → みずから. The particle "つ" is almost the same as "の".
Surprisingly, "つ" in まつげ(eyelash) was originally the same as this particle
meaning ま(目 eye) + つ + げ(毛 hair) meaning "eyes' hair". "柄" is common in modern
Japanese like "人柄"(personality) and "家柄"(culture/custom of family).
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-26T13:16:04.533
78244
2020-06-26T13:16:04.533
38911
78236
answer