сѣдѣти

Forms

сѣдѣти (sěděti) impf^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *sěděti (“to sit, be sitting”), the imperfective stative verb beside the perfective Proto-Slavic *sěsti (“to sit down”).^[2][1][3] The same word is Bulgarian седя (sedja), Serbo-Croatian sjèdjeti, Slovene sẹdẹ́ti, Czech seděti, Slovak sedieť, Polish siedzieć and Russian сидеть (sidet’); the East Slavic i is explained as an assimilation in forms such as the second person singular.^[2][4][3]

Its nearest cognates are Lithuanian sėdė́ti (“to sit”) and Latvian sēdēt (“to sit”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *sēdḗˀtei, formed with *-eh₁- from Proto-Indo-European *sed- (“to sit”).^[2][4][1] The root is that of Latin sedeō (“to sit”), Ancient Greek ἕζομαι (hézomai, “to sit down”), Gothic 𐍃𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (sitan, “to sit”) and Old Norse sitja.^[3][5][4] The long ě of the Balto-Slavic forms is explained by Winter's law, by the lengthened Narten root *sḗd-, or by lengthening in an old root aorist, and ESJS records the arguments against each.^[2][1] Vasmer rejects the reconstructions *siděti and *sьděti.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Gospels it renders Ancient Greek κάθημαι (káthēmai, “to sit”), as in се дъва слѣпьца сѣдѧшта при пѫти “behold, two blind men sitting by the way” (Mt 20, 30, Codex Marianus and Codex Assemanianus), and of Christ in the temple сѣдѧшть по срѣдѣ оучител҄ь “sitting in the midst of the teachers” (L 2, 46, Codex Zographensis and Codex Marianus).^[6] SNSP counts more than 100 uses.^[6]

Semantic evolution

Besides sitting, for καθῆσθαι and καθέζεσθαι (kathézesthai), the SJS records “to sit in council”, “to sit enthroned, to reign”, “to dwell, to reside”, “to stay, to remain” and “to wait”, the last also for Latin sedere in the Itala.^[7] Сѣдѣти съ renders Ancient Greek συνανακεῖσθαι (sunanakeîsthai, “to recline at table with”).^[6] SlaVaComp finds it for καθῆσθαι in the Euchologium Sinaiticum, and in a later Serbian patristic text of the Rila Monastery also for καθίζω (kathízō) and καθίστημι (kathístēmi).^[8]

Timeline

• End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – сѣдѣти renders καθῆσθαι in the Euchologium Sinaiticum.^[8]
• Before the early 15th century – a Serbian patristic text of the Rila Monastery uses it for καθίζω and καθίστημι.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To sit, to be sitting; for καθῆσθαι, καθέζεσθαι.^[7][6][1]
2. To sit in council; of a ruler, to sit enthroned, to reign.^[7]
3. To dwell, to reside, to live.^[7][1]
4. To stay, to remain; to wait.^[7]

Word family

• посѣдѣти
• прѣсѣдѣти
• присѣдѣти
• досѣдѣти
• сѣдѣниѥ

Related words

• сѣсти
• сѣдати
• садити
• сѣдалище
• Russian сидеть (sidet’)

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 Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 3, 618–619
4. ^ a b c Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 445
5. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 299
6. ^ a b c d 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 c d e Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
8. ^ a b c SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de