показати

Forms

показати (pokazati) pf^[1] Perfective present покажѫ, покажеши; the SJS and SNSP also record it as an imperfective, present показаѭ, показаѥши.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *pokazati (“to show”), formed from Old Church Slavonic по- (po-) + казати (kazati, “to show, instruct”).^[1][4] ESJS lists it among the derivatives of казати, with an imperfective form and the iterative показовати.^[4]

Proto-Slavic *kazati is found in all the Slavic languages, meaning to show, to order, to say or to preach; the development from showing to saying has parallels in Ancient Greek δείκνυμι (deíknumi, “to show”) beside Latin dīcō (“to say”), and in German zeigen (“to show”).^[4] Its origin has no satisfactory explanation, especially its voiced z.^[4] It is most often connected, with a voicing that has to be assumed, with Indo-Iranian verbs meaning to appear and with Ancient Greek τέκμαρ (tékmar, “sign, token”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷek- (“to appear, show”), a root Pokorny accepts and Mayrhofer calls uncertain.^[4][5] Potebnja, Agrell and Machek preferred a Sanskrit verb meaning to teach, command and rebuke, which fits the meaning but needs an Indo-European root whose existence is doubtful.^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Codex Zographensis it renders Ancient Greek δείκνυμι (deíknumi) in the temptation of Christ: показа емоу вьсѣ цѣсарьствиꙗ мира “he showed him all the kingdoms of the world” (Mt 4, 8).^[3] The Zographensis and the Marianus also have the second sense, for Ancient Greek παιδεύω (paideúō, “to chastise”): показавъ оубо отъпоуштѫ и “I will therefore chastise him and release him” (L 23, 16).^[3]

Semantic evolution

The SJS gives two senses: to show, reveal or manifest, for δεικνύναι and its compounds and for Ancient Greek γνωρίζω (gnōrízō), Ancient Greek μηνύω (mēnúō) and Ancient Greek ἐμφαίνω (emphaínō), and to admonish, rebuke or punish, for παιδεύειν, as in ни гнѣвомъ твоимъ покажи мене “nor chasten me in your anger” (Ps 6, 2).^[3][2] SNSP adds the figurative sense of displaying a quality, and Sadnik the reflexive показати сѧ “to show oneself, appear”.^[2][6] The Euchologium Sinaiticum already has it for both παιδεύειν and ὑποδεικνύναι.^[7]

Later Church Slavonic kept the sense of showing: Giltebrandt lists it for δεικνύναι, ἐπιδεῖξαι and ἀναδεικνύναι, and Dyachenko glosses it as to show, make visible and make known.^[8][9]

Timeline

• End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the Euchologium Sinaiticum uses показати for παιδεύειν and ὑποδεικνύναι.^[7]
• 14th century – the Athonite Serbian translation of Gregory of Nyssa uses показати and показовати for ἀναδείκνυμι and ὑποδείκνυμι.^[7]
• 1882–1885 – Giltebrandt lists its New Testament uses.^[8]
• 1899 – Dyachenko glosses it as to show and make known.^[9]

Meanings

Verb

1. To show, reveal, manifest; for δεικνύναι, ἐπιδεικνύναι, ὑποδεικνύναι, γνωρίζειν.^[3][2][1]
2. (figurative) To display (a quality).^[2]
3. To admonish, rebuke, chastise; for παιδεύειν.^[3][2][1]
4. (with сѧ) To show oneself, appear.^[6]

Word family

• показаниѥ
• показовати
• прѣдъпоказати

Related words

• казати
• наказати
• съказати
• оуказати
• Russian показать (pokazatʹ)

References

1. ^ a b c d 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 c d e f Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
4. ^ 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. 305
5. ^ a b Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 248
6. ^ a b Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 91
7. ^ a b c SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de
8. ^ a b Gil'tebrandt, P. A. (1882–1885), Spravočnyj i ob''jasnitel'nyj slovar' k Novomu Zavetu, 6 vols., Sankt-Peterburg
9. ^ a b D'jačenko, Grigorij (1899), Polnyj cerkovno-slavjanskij slovar', Moskva