Etymologically
Log in

бо

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 25 October 2026 at 03:30. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Forms

бо (bo)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *bo (“for”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ba, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰo.[1][2][3] The same word is Polish bo (“for, because”), Ukrainian бо (bo, “because”) and Czech bo (“for”) (archaic), and Russian and Serbo-Croatian dialects have it too.[2][4][3] Vasmer links it by ablaut with Czech ba (“yes, indeed”) and Polish ba.[4]

It is related to Lithuanian ba (“for; indeed”) and be (“for”), Latvian ba (an emphatic particle), Old Prussian beggi (“because”), Avestan bā (“truly”), Ancient Greek φή (phḗ, “like, as”) and Gothic 𐌱𐌰 (ba), an enclitic particle.[2][4][5] Miklosich had instead derived it from the root of бꙑти.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It renders Ancient Greek γάρ (gár, “for”) in all the canonical manuscripts, as in бѣашете бо рꙑбарѣ “for they were fishermen” (Mc 1, 16 in the Zographensis and Marianus).[7][8]

Semantic evolution

It stands after the first word of its clause.[9][6] Besides “for, because” the SJS records it as an affirmative particle “indeed, certainly” in rhetorical or emotional speech, and rarely as “therefore, so”, for οὖν.[7] The SNSP counts more than 2,000 occurrences.[8] Miklosich contrasts it with ибо, which stands first in its clause like Greek καὶ γάρ.[6]

Church Slavonic kept it, and Dyachenko glosses it with ибо and потому что “because”.[10] Russian dialects use бо for “because” and “if”.[10][3]

Meanings

Conjunction

  1. for, because, namely; for γάρ.[7][8][1]
  2. Indeed, certainly, to be sure (affirmative particle).[7]
  3. Therefore, so (rare); for οὖν.[7]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 49
  3. ^ a b c Trubačev, Oleg N.; Žuravlev, Anatolij F.; Varbot, Žanna Ž. (eds.) (1974–2021), Ètimologičeskij slovar' slavjanskix jazykov: praslavjanskij leksičeskij fond, vols. 1–42, Moskva: Nauka, p. 2, 140
  4. ^ a b c Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 1, 180
  5. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 216
  6. ^ a b c Miklosich, Franz (1862–1865), Lexicon palaeoslovenico-graeco-latinum emendatum auctum, Vindobonae: Braumüller
  7. ^ a b c d e Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
  8. ^ a b c 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
  9. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 12
  10. ^ a b D'jačenko, Grigorij (1899), Polnyj cerkovno-slavjanskij slovar', Moskva