съ

Forms

съ (sŭ)^[1] The manuscripts also write it сь, со or с, as in со мноѭ “with me” (Ps 108, 3) and сь аньгеломь “with the angel” (Hom).^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *sъ(n) (“with; from”), used both as a preposition and as a verbal prefix.^[3][1] The same word is Russian с (s) or со (so), Ukrainian з (z), Bulgarian с (s), Serbo-Croatian s or sa, Slovene s, Czech s or se, Polish z or ze and Upper Sorbian z.^[3][4]

Its further origin is disputed.^[3][4][1] Derksen reconstructs Proto-Indo-European *sm̥, a zero grade of the root of “one, same”,^[1] and adds that a full grade would also do, since it would have developed the same way at the end of a word.^[3] Vasmer relates the Proto-Slavic word, above all in the sense “with, together with”, to Lithuanian sán- and są-, Latvian suo-, Old Prussian sen (“with”), Old Norse sam- (“together”), Ancient Greek ὁμός (homós, “common, like”), ὁμοῦ (homoû, “together”) and Latin simul (“at the same time”), and calls a link with σύν (sún) unreliable.^[4] In the senses “from, off” and partly also “with”, he says, it may instead go back to *ḱom, the source of cum (“with”) and Old Irish com-.^[4] Wiktionary gives both explanations, the first through Proto-Balto-Slavic *san, with sa- and su as cognates; its entry for the Old Church Slavonic word prefers the second.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The preposition is common in all the canonical manuscripts; the SNSP counts more than a thousand examples.^[5] In the Gospels it renders Ancient Greek ἀπό (apó) with the genitive for motion down from something, съшедъшю же емоу съ горꙑ “when he had come down from the mountain” (Mt 8, 1, Zogr Mar As Sav Ostr), and Ancient Greek μετά (metá) with the instrumental for company, ꙇ сь бѣ чловѣкъ съ ꙇсоусомь назарѣниномь “this man too was with Jesus of Nazareth” (Mt 26, 71).^[2]

Semantic evolution

With the genitive the SJS distinguishes motion down from a place and separation (for ἀπό and ἐκ), a starting point in time (съ вечера “from the evening on”, Supr 35, 8) and origin (съ небесе “from heaven”, L 20, 4); with the instrumental, company (for μετά, σύν and ἅμα, often strengthened as коупьно съ or въкоупѣ съ), something carried along (съ свѣтилꙑ “with lanterns”, J 18, 3), being among people, mutual dealings and conflict (брашѧ сѧ со мноѭ “they fought against me”, Ps 108, 3), simultaneity, circumstance, means and cause.^[2] A few examples with the accusative express measure.^[2] The Euchologium Sinaiticum uses it for σύν and μετά, and also for the Greek suffix -θεν in Ancient Greek οὐρανόθεν (ouranóthen, “from heaven”).^[6][2]

Meanings

Preposition

1. With the genitive: from, down from, off; for ἀπό, ἐκ.^[2][5][1]
2. With the genitive: from (a moment in time) on.^[2][5]
3. With the genitive: from, out of (an origin).^[2][5]
4. With the instrumental: with, together with, in the company of; for μετά, σύν, ἅμα.^[2][5][1]
5. With the instrumental: with, carrying or bringing something.^[2]
6. With the instrumental: with, against (of dealings, quarrels and fights).^[2]
7. With the instrumental: at the same time as; by means of; because of.^[2]
8. With the accusative: for, to the measure of.^[2]

Word family

• съпрьва
• съвꙑше

Usage notes

The same Proto-Slavic word is the verbal prefix съ- “together; down, off”, as in сътворити.^[3][4] In nominal compounds it corresponds to the different form Proto-Slavic *sǫ-;^[4][1] Wiktionary explains the difference by the looser juncture between a verb and its preverb, which made the preverb develop like the end of a word.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
3. ^ a b c d e Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 478
4. ^ a b c d e f Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 3, 539–540
5. ^ 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
6. ^ SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de