славити

Forms

славити (slaviti) impf^[1] Present славлѭ, славиши.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *slaviti (“to praise, glorify”), formed in Proto-Slavic from *slava (“glory, fame”) (OCS слава) with the verbal suffix *-iti.^[1][4] The same verb is Russian славить (slávitʹ), Bulgarian славя (slávja), Serbo-Croatian slȁviti, Czech slavit and Polish sławić.^[1]

The noun *slava is related by ablaut to слово (“word”) and слꙑти (“to be called, be famous”).^[5] It continues an Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (“to hear”), here in a lengthened grade, through Proto-Balto-Slavic *ślṓˀwāˀ;^[1][4] Derksen takes it from an old root noun with the lengthened grade *ḱlēu-, with a laryngeal that is a Balto-Slavic innovation.^[1][4] Its cognates are Lithuanian šlovė̃ (“honour, fame”), Latvian slava (“rumour, reputation, fame”), Ancient Greek κλέος (kléos, “fame”) and Old Irish clú (“fame, rumour”).^[4][5] Vasmer rejects Leskien's view that the Lithuanian word is a loan from Slavic.^[5] Sadnik and Aitzetmüller add Ancient Greek κλέω (kléō, “to make famous”) and Latin clueō (“to be called”), and, from an extended root, Lithuanian klausýti (“to listen, obey”) and Old High German hlosēn (“to listen”).^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Gospels славити renders Ancient Greek δοξάζω (doxázō, “to glorify”), as in the Nativity story: възвратишѧ сѧ пастꙑри хвалѧште ꙇ славѧште б‹ог›а “the shepherds returned, praising and glorifying God” (L 2, 20 Zogr Mar As Sav).^[7][2]

Semantic evolution

The canonical texts use the verb above all for glorifying God, for δοξάζειν, δοξολογεῖν and once εὐλογεῖν (Dn 3, 51), and in the Suprasliensis for the praise of Christ by the angels.^[7][2] It also means to worship or profess, of the Trinity (вꙑ бо троицоу славите, а мꙑ бога единого “for you glorify the Trinity, but we one God”, in the Life of Constantine), and to give thanks, for εὐχαριστεῖν, in the Euchologium Sinaiticum and the Suprasliensis.^[7] The reflexive славити сѧ means to boast, for καυχᾶσθαι, where some Psalters have хвалити сѧ (Ps 31, 11), and a few later texts use the verb for to hold an opinion.^[7]

ESJS lists the derivatives славлѥниѥ, прославити and прославлѥниѥ; the SNSP compares пѣти, славословити and хвалити.^[8][2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To praise, glorify, extol; for δοξάζειν, δοξολογεῖν.^[7][2][1]
2. To worship, profess (the Trinity, God); for δοξάζειν.^[7]
3. To praise and thank; for εὐχαριστεῖν.^[7][2]
4. (reflexive) To boast, pride oneself; for καυχᾶσθαι.^[7]
5. To think, hold an opinion.^[7]

Word family

• славлѥниѥ
• прославити
• прославлѥниѥ
• прославлꙗти

Related words

• слава
• слово
• хвалити
• Russian славить (slávitʹ)

References

1. ^ a b c d e f 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. ^ Slocum, Jonathan; Krause, Todd B., Old Church Slavonic Online, Base Form Dictionary, Linguistics Research Center, University of Texas at Austin
4. ^ a b c d Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 453
5. ^ a b c Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 3, 664
6. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 304
7. ^ 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
8. ^ Havlová, Eva; Erhart, Adolf; Janyšková, Ilona (eds.) (1989–2022), Etymologický slovník jazyka staroslověnského, 21 fascicles, Praha: Academia / Brno: Tribun EU