родити

родити¹ to give birth

Forms

родити (roditi) pf^[1] Present рождѫ, родиши; iterative раждати.^[2][3]

Etymology

The verb meaning to give birth is inherited from Proto-Slavic *roditi (“to give birth, bear”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *rádīˀtei; by surface analysis it is *rodъ (OCS родъ) with the suffix *-iti.^[4][1][3] The same verb is Russian родить (rodítʹ), Bulgarian родя (rodjá), Serbo-Croatian ròditi, Slovene rodíti, Czech rodit and Polish rodzić.^[4][1][3]

Derksen finds it only in Balto-Slavic, in Latvian radît (“to give birth to, create”);^[4][3] Brückner held the Latvian word a loan from Slavic, but Vasmer thinks it more likely a cognate.^[4][3] Sadnik and Aitzetmüller compare raža (“rich harvest”) and Lithuanian rasmė, and after Fraenkel atsirasti (“to appear, be born”).^[5] The often proposed link with the Sanskrit verb for to grow, from a root Proto-Indo-European *wredʰ-, Derksen calls formally problematic, since it needs Schwebeablaut and the loss of the initial u.^[4][6] Persson's other comparison is Latin arduus (“steep, high”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Gospels родити renders Ancient Greek γεννάω (gennáō, “to beget, bear”) and Ancient Greek τίκτω (tíktō, “to give birth”), as in the angel's words to Zechariah: ꙇ жена твоѣ елисавьть • родитъ с‹ꙑ›нъ тебѣ “and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son” (L 1, 13 Zogr Mar As).^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The verb is used of the mother and of the father, as in the genealogy of Christ, авраамъ роди исаака “Abraham begat Isaac” (Mt 1, 2 As Sav), figuratively of bringing forth evil (зачѩтъ болѣзнъ і роді безаконье “he conceived pain and brought forth iniquity”, Ps 7, 15 Sin), and in the Suprasliensis of a tree bearing fruit, for καρποφορεῖν.^[7][2] The reflexive родити сѧ and the passive рожденъ бꙑти mean to be born, for γεννᾶσθαι and τίκτεσθαι (J 8, 41 and J 16, 21), and the participles serve as nouns for parent, father and mother, for γονεύς and ἡ τεκοῦσα.^[7][2]

Vasmer counts Russian рождать, with its жд, among the words of Church Slavonic origin.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To give birth to, bear; for τίκτειν, γεννᾶν.^[7][2][1]
2. To beget, father; for γεννᾶν.^[7][8]
3. (figurative) To bring forth, produce; to bear fruit, for καρποφορεῖν.^[7][2][1]
4. (reflexive) To be born; for γεννᾶσθαι, τίκτεσθαι.^[7][2][8]

Word family

• раждати
• родитель
• рождьство
• породити

родити² to heed, care about

Forms

родити (roditi) impf, attested only in the variant радити^[7][9]

Etymology

The verb meaning to heed is inherited from Proto-Slavic *roditi (“to care about”), a variant of *raditi.^[1][9] The same word is Bulgarian bookish радя (radjá), Serbo-Croatian ráditi (“to work”), Slovene róditi, Upper Sorbian rodźić and archaic Russian радеть (radétʹ), meaning to care for, to wish or strive, and to toil;^[9][1] Old Czech has only the negative neroditi.^[9][1] Which vowel is older is disputed: Preobraženskij took the form with a as the original one, Vondrák the form with o, with the a-form influenced by отърада or, after Machek, by радъ (“glad”).^[9]

ESJS calls the etymology difficult.^[9] Many scholars connect it with радъ or with the postposition ради (“for the sake of”).^[9][10] It is most often compared with a Sanskrit verb meaning to accomplish, prepare, with Gothic verbs for to take care and to speak, and with Old High German rātan (“to advise”), from Proto-Indo-European *reh₁dʰ- (“to accomplish successfully”).^[9][10] Sadnik and Aitzetmüller add Old Persian rādiy (“because of”).^[10] Vaillant, followed by Šaur and Pičchadze, started instead from *orditi with the metathesis of the liquid.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

The SJS quotes it from the Christinopolitan, Ochrid, Slepče and Šišatovac Apostles, where it renders μέλει in 1C 9, 9: еда о волъхъ радить б‹ог›ъ “Does God care about oxen?”^[7] In the Suprasliensis it appears as они же мал(о) радивъше о томь “but they, caring little about it”.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The positive verb is rare in the canonical texts; its negative неродити or нерадити, to neglect, disregard, and its derivatives are commoner.^[9][2][8] With the prefix отъ- it gives отърадити, to let pass, be forbearing, and отърада, release, mercy.^[9]

Meanings

Verb

1. To heed, care about, take care of (with о); for μέλειν.^[7][8]

Word family

• неродити
• неродьно
• отърадити
• отърада