оученикъ

Forms

оученикъ (učenikŭ) m, o-stem^[1]

Etymology

It is a noun from Old Church Slavonic оучити (učiti, “to teach”): Wiktionary gives no etymology for it but lists the verb as related, and Sadnik and Aitzetmüller place it in the verb's family with оучитель, оучениѥ and наоучити.^[1][2]

The verb is Proto-Slavic *učiti (“to teach”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *auˀkīˀtei and Proto-Indo-European *h₁owk-éye-ti, a causative of *h₁ewk- (“to get used to”).^[1][3] Its relatives are Lithuanian jaukinti (“to tame”), Latvian jaucēt (“to accustom”) and Old Prussian iaukint (“to exercise”), and further Sanskrit उच्यति (ucyati, “to be accustomed to”), Old Armenian ուսանիմ (usanim, “to learn”) and Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌿𐌷𐍄𐍃 (biūhts, “accustomed”).^[1][3][4][2] Vasmer connects it by ablaut with Proto-Slavic *vyknǫti (“to get used to”).^[4] Derksen discusses the acute tone of the Balto-Slavic forms as the main problem of this etymology.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the oldest Gospel manuscripts it renders Ancient Greek μαθητής (mathētḗs, “disciple”), as in нѣстъ оученикъ надъ оучител҄емь своꙇмь “a disciple is not above his teacher” (L 6:40, in the Codex Zographensis and the Codex Marianus).^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

With more than 900 uses in the oldest manuscripts, it is above all the word for the disciples of Christ and of John, for μαθητής and once for Ancient Greek συμμαθητής (summathētḗs, “fellow disciple”) (J 11:16).^[6][5] The Codex Suprasliensis also uses it for Ancient Greek νήπιος (nḗpios), παῖς (paîs) and υἱός (huiós), as in чловѣкъ бѣ оученикъ сотонинъ “the man was a disciple of Satan” (Supr 7:15).^[5][6] The Codex Assemanianus often abbreviates it under a titlo.^[6]

In Church Slavonic it stayed the word for a disciple, and Giltebrandt lists its many New Testament uses for μαθητής.^[7]

Timeline

• End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the Euchologium Sinaiticum uses оученикъ for μαθητής.^[8]
• 14th century – the Athonite Serbian translation of Gregory of Nyssa uses it for μαθητής.^[8]
• 1882–1885 – Giltebrandt lists its New Testament uses in Church Slavonic.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. A disciple, follower of a teacher, especially of Christ; for μαθητής.^[5][6][1]
2. A pupil, student.^[5][1]

Word family

• оученица

Related words

• оучити
• оучитель
• оучениѥ
• наоучити

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 325
3. ^ a b c Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 506
4. ^ a b Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 179–180
5. ^ 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
6. ^ a b c d e 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 Gil'tebrandt, P. A. (1882–1885), Spravočnyj i ob''jasnitel'nyj slovar' k Novomu Zavetu, 6 vols., Sankt-Peterburg
8. ^ a b SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de