Etymologically
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или

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Forms

или (ili)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *i li (“or”), from *i (“and”) and the particle *li; in OCS terms it is и and ли.[1][2][3] ESJS lists it among the adverbs and conjunctions made with that enclitic particle.[4] The same word is Russian или (ili), Old East Slavic или (ili), Bulgarian или (ili), Macedonian или (ili), Serbo-Croatian ȉli and Slovak ili.[1][2]

Sadnik traces the first part to Proto-Indo-European *ei-, a locative of the demonstrative stem, comparing Ancient Greek εἰ (ei, “if”) and Gothic 𐌴𐌹 (ei).[5] The origin of the particle is unclear: ESJS links it most closely with the particle in Latvian nulei (“just now”) and Lithuanian nuli (“now”), and mentions Brugmann's view that it was an old optative of Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to want”).[4][6] Miklosich's derivation of the particle from либо has been rejected by everyone.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Codex Zographensis has it in the Sermon on the Mount, не пⸯцѣте сѧ д‹оу›шеѭ своеѭ • чьто ѣсте ꙇли что пиете “do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink” (Mt 6, 25), for Greek ἤ, where the Codex Marianus, the Codex Assemanianus and the Savvina kniga have plain ли.[7]

Semantic evolution

In many of the passages the SJS and SNSP quote, the oldest Gospel codices have plain ли or ли… ли where the Savvina kniga, the Ostromir Gospel or later texts have или (L 2, 24, Mt 9, 5, Mt 12, 33).[8][7] Besides the disjunctive “or”, или… или means “either… or”, ли… или “whether… or”, and at the head of a question или introduces it like Greek ἤ (“or is it that…”).[8][7] After паче it means “than”, for ἤ in comparisons (Supr 316, 9).[8] The SNSP also records it for ἀλλά and γάρ.[7]

Old Russian или had a wider range, also “if” and “than”.[2] Later Church Slavonic used нь или for ἀλλά “but”, and Miklosich explains или as и + ли beside и любо.[3]

Meanings

Conjunction

  1. or; for ἤ, ἤτοι, εἴτε.[8][7][1]
  2. (repeated) either… or.[8][7]
  3. (in questions) Or, whether; for ἤ.[8][7]
  4. (in comparisons) than; for ἤ.[8]

Usage notes

The SJS and SNSP also list an или in Mt 27, 46 of the Savvina kniga and refer it to ели, the cry “my God” of the Passion.[8][7] OCS Или is also the name of the prophet Elijah, from Ancient Greek Ἠλίας (Ēlías), in the Codex Clozianus and the Codex Suprasliensis.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 2, 127
  3. ^ a b Miklosich, Franz (1862–1865), Lexicon palaeoslovenico-graeco-latinum emendatum auctum, Vindobonae: Braumüller
  4. ^ a b c Havlová, Eva; Erhart, Adolf; Janyšková, Ilona (eds.) (1989–2022), Etymologický slovník jazyka staroslověnského, 21 fascicles, Praha: Academia / Brno: Tribun EU, p. 419
  5. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 245
  6. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 261
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
  9. ^ Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 2, 128