Etymologically
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образъ

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Forms

образъ (obrazŭ) m, o-stem[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *obrazъ (“image, form”), a word of all the Slavic languages except Polabian.[2][1][3] The same word is Russian образ (obraz), Bulgarian образ (obraz), Serbo-Croatian obraz, Slovene obràz, Czech obraz and Polish obraz, meaning a picture, figure or shape, an icon, and in Bulgarian and Serbo-Croatian the face or cheek.[2][4]

ESJS derives the noun from the verb Proto-Slavic *obrězati (“to cut around”), with the long o-grade that goes with the lengthened e-grade of the verb, and supposes a development from something carved to a shape or likeness.[2] Wiktionary gives two routes from the same root: a deverbal noun from *obraziti, from *ob- and *raziti, or, with Vasmer, a formation directly from *ob- and *razъ.[1][4] Vasmer too ties *razъ by ablaut to рѣзати (“to cut”).[4]

Sadnik puts the word in the family of поразити (“to strike”) and compares Lithuanian rėžti (“to cut, scratch”) and rúožas (“stripe”); the further comparison with Ancient Greek ῥήγνυμι (rhḗgnumi, “to break”) he calls doubtful.[5] From Church Slavonic comes Romanian obraz (“face, cheek”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Gospels of the Codex Zographensis and the Codex Marianus use образъ for the outward form of the risen Christ, translating Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ): ави сѧ инѣмь образомь идѫштема на село “he appeared in another form to the two as they walked into the country” (Mc 16, 12).[6][7] The same manuscripts have it for the emperor's Ancient Greek εἰκών (eikṓn, “image”) on the coin in Matthew, Mark and Luke (Mt 22, 20).[7]

Semantic evolution

The SJS orders the canonical senses from appearance and figure, for Ancient Greek σχῆμα (skhêma), Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ), Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos) and Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr), to dress and, figuratively, station (мѫжьскꙑи образъ, a man's dress, Supr 299, 11), a kind or form (се молитвꙑ образъ ѥстъ “this is a kind of prayer”), a mere outward form, an image, portrait or statue (εἰκών, στήλη), a symbol or sign, an archetype or model (по образу нашему “after our image”, Gn 1, 26) and an example to follow (образъ дахъ вамъ “I have given you an example”, J 13, 15, for ὑπόδειγμα).[7][6] ESJS adds the senses manner and conduct, and in one text (Bes) also person and colour.[2] OCS built a large family on it: образити “to form”, образовати “to give shape, to depict, to educate”, and прѣобразити “to transform”, whose noun прѣображениѥ господьне names the Transfiguration.[2]

The Euchologium Sinaiticum already uses it for μορφή, πρόσχημα, σχῆμα, τύπος, εἶδος and εἰκών.[8] In later Church Slavonic, Sedakova lists among its senses the image of God in man, a means or way (for τρόπος), a rank, as in мнишескии образъ the monastic habit (σχῆμα), an imprint (χαρακτήρ, Hb 1, 3) and an icon.[9][10]

Timeline

  • End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the Euchologium Sinaiticum uses образъ for μορφή, σχῆμα, τύπος, εἶδος and εἰκών.[8]
  • 1882–1885 – Giltebrandt lists its New Testament uses for εἰκών, μορφή, εἶδος, ὑπόδειγμα, τρόπος, τύπος and χαρακτήρ.[10]

Meanings

Noun

  1. appearance, shape, figure; for σχῆμα, μορφή, εἶδος, χαρακτήρ.[7][6][1]
  2. Dress, garment; figuratively station, rank; for σχῆμα.[7]
  3. A kind, form; for εἶδος.[7]
  4. A mere outward form; for σχῆμα.[7]
  5. An image, portrait, statue; for εἰκών, στήλη, ἀνδριάς.[7][6][1]
  6. (figurative) A symbol, sign; for σύμβολον, τύπος.[7]
  7. A prototype, model; for εἰκών, τύπος.[7]
  8. An example to follow; for ὑπόδειγμα, τύπος.[7]

Word family

  • образити
  • образовати
  • образьнъ
  • необразьнъ
  • прѣобразити
  • прообразити
  • оуобразити
  • въобразити
  • въображати
  • благообразьнъ
  • богообразьнъ
  • рѣзати
  • поразити
  • Russian образ (obraz)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Havlová, Eva; Erhart, Adolf; Janyšková, Ilona (eds.) (1989–2022), Etymologický slovník jazyka staroslověnského, 21 fascicles, Praha: Academia / Brno: Tribun EU, p. 565
  3. ^ 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. 29, 64
  4. ^ a b c Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 3, 106
  5. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 293
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de
  9. ^ Sedakova, O. A. (2005), Slovar' trudnyx slov iz bogosluženija: cerkovnoslavjano-russkie paronimy, Moskva: Grēko-latinskij kabinet Ju. A. Šičalina
  10. ^ a b Gil'tebrandt, P. A. (1882–1885), Spravočnyj i ob''jasnitel'nyj slovar' k Novomu Zavetu, 6 vols., Sankt-Peterburg