благодѣть

Forms

благодѣть (blagodětĭ) f, i-stem, Glagolitic ⰱⰾⰰⰳⱁⰴⱑⱅⱐ^[1] The Codex Marianus and the Ostromir Gospel often write благодать.^[2]

Etymology

Wiktionary takes it as from Ancient Greek εὐεργεσία (euergesía, “good deed, benefaction”) as a calque, from благъ “good” with a linking vowel and Proto-Slavic *dětь (“deed”).^[1] ESJS counts the compounds whose first part is this adjective among the calques of Greek compounds, or words formed under their influence, that part usually rendering Ancient Greek εὖ (eû, “well”).^[3] It places благодѣть and its variant благодать, both meaning “benefaction, grace, charm” and rendering the same Greek noun, beside the verb благодѣꙗти “to do good”, for Ancient Greek εὐεργετέω (euergetéō), and notes that in such pairs the forms built on дати “to give” gradually prevailed over those built on дѣти “to put, do”.^[3] Schumann's list of calques has no entry for the word.^[4]

The family of the latter verb is compared by Sadnik and Aitzetmüller with Ancient Greek τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put”), Latin faciō (“to do”) and Lithuanian dėti (“to put”).^[5] For the second part of the variant, Vasmer compares Latin dōs (“dowry”) and other words for a gift.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the oldest Gospel manuscripts the word renders Ancient Greek χάρις (kháris, “grace, favour”), as in the Annunciation, не боꙇ сѧ марие • обрѣте бо благодѣть отъ бога “fear not, Mary, for you have found grace with God” (L 1, 30 Zogr As), where the Codex Marianus and the Ostromir Gospel write благодать.^[2] The prologue of John has благодѣть въз благодѣть “grace for grace” for χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος (J 1, 16 Zogr As).^[2]

Semantic evolution

The SJS gives four groups of senses: grace, favour and kindness, also God's grace as a power and a virtue, for χάρις, χάρισμα, δύναμις and ἀρετή; charm and sweetness, for χάρις (L 4, 22, Ps 44, 3); benefaction, for Ancient Greek εὐεργεσία (euergesía) (Ps 77, 11, Euch 25a 15); and gratitude, for χάρις and Ancient Greek εὐχαριστία (eukharistía), with the phrase благодѣть въздаꙗти “to give thanks”.^[2][7] Miklosich adds the sense “gift”, for δῶρον, in the Codex Suprasliensis.^[8]

Of the two spellings, благодать prevailed in later use: Wiktionary records it in Old East Slavic and as Russian and Belarusian благодать.^[3][1]

Meanings

Noun

1. grace, favour, kindness, also divine grace as a power or gift; for χάρις, χάρισμα, δύναμις.^[2][7][1]
2. virtue; for ἀρετή, χάρις.^[2]
3. charm, graciousness, sweetness; for χάρις.^[2][1]
4. benefaction, a good deed; for εὐεργεσία, χάρισμα.^[2][7][1]
5. gratitude, thanks; for χάρις, εὐχαριστία.^[2][7][1]

Word family

• благодѣтьнъ

Related words

• благодать
• благодѣтель
• благодѣꙗти
• благъ
• дѣти

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
3. ^ a b c Havlová, Eva; Erhart, Adolf; Janyšková, Ilona (eds.) (1989–2022), Etymologický slovník jazyka staroslověnského, 21 fascicles, Praha: Academia / Brno: Tribun EU, p. 64
4. ^ Schumann, Kurt (1958), Die griechischen Lehnbildungen und Lehnbedeutungen im Altbulgarischen, Veröffentlichungen der Abteilung für slavische Sprachen und Literaturen des Osteuropa-Instituts an der Freien Universität Berlin 16, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz
5. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 227
6. ^ Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 1, 485
7. ^ a b c d Slovník nejstarších staroslověnských památek (digital ed., Gorazd, Slovanský ústav AV ČR, gorazd.org); cf. Cejtlin, R. M.; Večerka, R.; Blagova, É. (eds.) (1994), Staroslavjanskij slovar' (po rukopisjam X–XI vekov), Moskva: Russkij jazyk
8. ^ Miklosich, Franz (1862–1865), Lexicon palaeoslovenico-graeco-latinum emendatum auctum, Vindobonae: Braumüller