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въ

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Forms

въ (vŭ)[1] Also written вь, в and во; вън occurs a few times, and вꙑ before и.[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *vъ(n) (“in, into”), a preposition and prefix.[3][1] The same word is Russian в (v), Czech v, Polish w, Serbo-Croatian u and Slovene v, with a fuller form in Russian во (vo) and Polish we.[3][4][1]

It comes from the word for “in”, Proto-Indo-European *h₁én, the source of Ancient Greek ἐν (en, “in”), Latin in (“in”) and the English word in.[1][4] How the Slavic vowel arose is disputed: it is taken either from the zero grade *h₁n̥ or from the o-grade *h₁ón.[3][1] Derksen prefers the zero grade, through Proto-Balto-Slavic *in, and so equates it with Lithuanian į (“into”), though the Slavic vowel is then unexpected;[3][1] Wiktionary groups Old Prussian en (“in”) with the zero grade and Latvian iekša (“inside”) with the o-grade.[3][1] Vasmer too starts from a reduced grade and lists the same Baltic cognates, and he leaves open Meillet's view that the preposition with the accusative partly continues a different Indo-European word.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The preposition is in all the canonical manuscripts, more than 7,000 times by the SNSP's count, for Ancient Greek εἰς (eis) and Ancient Greek ἐν (en) above all.[2][5] In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, съниде сь въ домъ своі “this man went down to his house” (L 18, 14 Zogr Mar As Sav) renders εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ.[5]

Semantic evolution

With the accusative it marks motion into or among, a point or span of time, manner, purpose or result, hostility (съгрѣшитъ въ тѧ “sins against you”, L 17, 4) and the object of belief (вѣроуѭ … въ отьца “I believe in the Father”); rarely it marks a cause, or a place where the locative would be expected.[5][2] With the locative it marks position in a place or among people, time during which, and manner or means.[5][2] Miklosich records the same constructions in later Church Slavonic texts.[6]

Meanings

Preposition

  1. With the accusative: into, to; among; for εἰς, ἐπί, πρός.[5][2][1]
  2. With the accusative: at, on, for a time; to, for a purpose; against.[5][2]
  3. With the accusative, after verbs of belief and hope: in.[5]
  4. With the locative: in, within, among; for ἐν.[5][2][1]
  5. With the locative: in, during a time; in, by, through a manner or means.[5][2]
  • Russian в (v)

Usage notes

The same Proto-Slavic word is the verbal prefix въ-, вън- “in, into”, as in въпадъшюмоу “who fell among” (L 10, 36), a form of въпасти.[3][4][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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
  3. ^ a b c d e f Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 530
  4. ^ a b c d Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 1, 262
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
  6. ^ Miklosich, Franz (1862–1865), Lexicon palaeoslovenico-graeco-latinum emendatum auctum, Vindobonae: Braumüller