оубо

Forms

оубо (ubo)^[1] Also written оубоу (once each in the Codex Marianus and the Psalterium Sinaiticum) and once обо in the Codex Suprasliensis.^[2]

Etymology

It is from Old Church Slavonic оу (u, “already”) + бо (bo, “for, indeed”).^[1][3][4][5] The first part is the particle оу “already”, also in оуже, which Sadnik compares with Lithuanian jau (“already”), Old Prussian iau and Old High German ju (“already”); its j- was lost first after the negation.^[4] The second is the particle бо, which he compares with Lithuanian ba (“indeed”) and the emphatic particles of Latvian and Armenian.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The SNSP counts more than a thousand examples in the oldest manuscripts.^[2] In the Gospels it usually renders Ancient Greek οὖν (oûn, “therefore”): рѣхъ оубо ѣко оумьрете въ грѣсѣхъ вашихъ “I said therefore that you shall die in your sins” (J 8, 24, Zogr Mar As Ostr).^[6]

Semantic evolution

As a conjunction it draws a conclusion (“therefore, so”, for οὖν, τοίνυν, ἄρα), gives a reason or explanation (“for, namely”, also for γάρ) or, less often, sets up a contrast (“but, yet”).^[6][2] As a particle it links a sentence to what precedes (“and, then, now”), marks the first member of a pair, rendering the μέν of μέν … δέ, and strengthens a statement (“indeed, certainly”, for ὄντως, ἄρα).^[6] The Euchologium Sinaiticum already uses it for μέν, οὖν and ὄντως.^[7] In later Church Slavonic, Dyachenko gives the senses “so, therefore” and sometimes “truly”, and Vasmer lists Russian убо “because” as a church word.^[8][5]

Timeline

• End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the Euchologium Sinaiticum uses оубо for μέν, οὖν and ὄντως.^[7]
• Until the beginning of the 15th century – a Serbian patristic translation in SlaVaComp (Hi, Rila Monastery) has it for οὖν and ἄρα.^[7]
• 1882–1885 – Giltebrandt lists it in the Church Slavonic New Testament for οὖν, ὄντως, ἄρα and δέ.^[9]

Meanings

Conjunction

1. therefore, so, and so, then; for οὖν, τοίνυν, ἄρα.^[6][2][1]
2. For, namely, since; for γάρ, οὖν.^[6][2]
3. But, yet, however.^[6][2]

Particle

1. And, then, now (linking a sentence to what precedes).^[6]
2. On the one hand (with же or а in the next clause); for μέν.^[6]
3. indeed, certainly, truly; for ὄντως, ἄρα.^[6][8]

Related words

• бо
• оуже

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 216
4. ^ a b Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 326
5. ^ a b Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 143
6. ^ 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
7. ^ a b c SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de
8. ^ a b D'jačenko, Grigorij (1899), Polnyj cerkovno-slavjanskij slovar', Moskva
9. ^ Gil'tebrandt, P. A. (1882–1885), Spravočnyj i ob''jasnitel'nyj slovar' k Novomu Zavetu, 6 vols., Sankt-Peterburg