поставити

Forms

поставити (postaviti) pf^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *postaviti (“to set, place”),^[1] the perfective formed with the prefix Proto-Slavic *po- from Proto-Slavic *staviti (“to place, put”), a verb found in all the Slavic languages.^[2][3][1] The simple verb is ставити in Old Church Slavonic, and the same word is Russian ставить (stavitʹ), Macedonian стави (stavi), Serbo-Croatian stȁviti, Slovene stáviti, Czech stavit, Slovak staviť, Polish stawić and Upper Sorbian stawić, all meaning “to set up, place”, figuratively “to build”.^[2][3][1]

ESJS explains *staviti, with an original meaning “to make stand”, as a verb in Proto-Slavic *-iti from Proto-Indo-European *stā- extended with *u, with its nearest relatives in Baltic, Lithuanian stovėti (“to stand”) and Latvian stāvēt (“to stand”); the same extended root is in Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐍉𐌾𐌰𐌽 (stōjan, “to judge”), Old English stōwian, Old High German stouwen and German stauen (“to stow, pile up”).^[2][3] Derksen reconstructs Proto-Balto-Slavic *stāw- and *sth₂-ēu-, and Wiktionary derives it from *steh₂- (“to stand”), the root of стати, Latin stō (“to stand”) and Ancient Greek ἵστημι (hístēmi, “to make stand”).^[3][1][4] Holub and Kopečný, and Stojkovič, took *staviti instead as a denominative verb from the noun Proto-Slavic *stavъ (“position, state”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the oldest Gospel manuscripts поставити translates Ancient Greek ἵστημι (hístēmi, “to set, make stand”), as in the temptation of Christ, ꙇ постави і на крилѣ цръкⸯвьнѣемь “and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple” (Mt 4, 5 Zogr As Sav Ostr, L 4, 9 Mar).^[5] The same manuscripts use it for Ancient Greek καθίστημι (kathístēmi, “to appoint”), as in егоже поставитъ господь надъ домомь своꙇмь “whom his lord will set over his household” (Mt 24, 45).^[5]

Semantic evolution

The SJS divides the senses into setting something up or in place, for ἱστάναι, ἐφιστάναι, ἱδρύειν, πηγνύναι and τιθέναι, presenting someone, for παριστάναι, and appointing or establishing, for καθιστάναι and χειροτονεῖν, which includes the ordination of a priest (Supr 286, 3).^[5][6] The phrase не постави имъ грѣха сего “lay not this sin to their charge” (A 7, 60) probably imitates the Greek μὴ στήσῃς αὐτοῖς ταύτην τὴν ἁμαρτίαν.^[5] With въ правьдѫ the verb means “to set in order” (Kij 2b).^[6]

Later Church Slavonic kept these uses: Giltebrandt lists the verb in the New Testament for ἱστάναι, καθιστάναι, παραστῆσαι, παρατιθέναι and τιθέναι.^[7]

Timeline

• End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the Euchologium Sinaiticum uses поставити for ἱστάναι and ἐγείρειν.^[8]
• Until the beginning of the 15th century – a Serbian translation from the Rila Monastery renders Ancient Greek ἵστημι (hístēmi) with it.^[8]
• 1882–1885 – Giltebrandt records the verb in the Church Slavonic New Testament.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To set up, make stand, erect; for ἱστάναι, ἐφιστάναι, ἱδρύειν, πηγνύναι.^[5][6][1]
2. To place, put; for τιθέναι.^[5][6]
3. To present before someone, commend; for παριστάναι.^[5][6]
4. To appoint, establish, ordain; for καθιστάναι, ἀναδεικνύναι, χειροτονεῖν.^[5][6]
5. поставити грѣхъ: to count as a sin; for ἱστάναι.^[5]

Word family

• поставлꙗти
• прѣдъпоставити

Related words

• ставити
• оставити
• въставити
• Russian поставить (postavitʹ)

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Havlová, Eva; Erhart, Adolf; Janyšková, Ilona (eds.) (1989–2022), Etymologický slovník jazyka staroslověnského, 21 fascicles, Praha: Academia / Brno: Tribun EU
3. ^ a b c d Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill
4. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 308
5. ^ 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
6. ^ 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
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