Etymologically
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таковъ

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Forms

таковъ (takovŭ), definite таковꙑи (takovyi), pronominal adjective[1][2]

Etymology

It is a demonstrative pronominal adjective that Sadnik and Aitzetmüller place in the family of the demonstrative pronoun тъ, beside такъ (“such”), тако (“so”) and таковьсь.[3] The shorter такъ is from Proto-Slavic *takъ (“such, of that kind”), which Wiktionary relates to *tъ and traces to Proto-Balto-Slavic *taˀkos.[4] Among the descendants of *takъ Wiktionary lists Bulgarian такъв (takǎv) and Serbo-Croatian tàkāv, which share the longer form of the OCS word.[4]

Vasmer derives Russian такой (takoj) from *takъ and compares Lithuanian tóks (“such”).[5] Sadnik and Aitzetmüller give the same Lithuanian word and Latin tālis (“such, of such a kind”) as cognates, with Lithuanian tas (“that”) and Ancient Greek τό (tó) for the pronoun stem.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is in the Gospels of the Codex Zographensis and the Codex Marianus, for Ancient Greek τοιοῦτος (toioûtos, “such”): ꙇже аште едино таковꙑхъ отрочѧтъ приіметъ въ імѧ мое "whoever receives one of such children in my name" (Mc 9, 37).[1] The same manuscripts have it in the law about the adulteress, таковꙑѩ камениемь побивати "to stone such women" (J 8, 5).[2]

Semantic evolution

Beside the plain sense "such, this, the same, similar" the SJS records correlative uses, ꙗкъ же… таковъ "as… so" for οἷος… τοιοῦτος, and таковъ… иже "such… who".[2] The SNSP counts 75 instances in the oldest manuscripts, mostly for τοιοῦτος but also for τηλικοῦτος and τοσοῦτος, and the neuter plural таковаꙗ used as a noun, "such things" (L 9, 9).[1] Later Church Slavonic kept the word: Giltebrandt lists it for τοιοῦτος in the New Testament, from Mt 9, 8 on.[6]

Timeline

  • End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the word renders τοιοῦτος in the Euchologium Sinaiticum.[7]
  • Up to the beginning of the 15th century – a Serbian translation of patristic texts from the Rila monastery uses it for τοιοῦτος, beside сицевъ.[7]
  • 1882–1885 – Giltebrandt lists its New Testament uses for τοιοῦτος.[6]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. such, of this kind, the same, similar; for τοιοῦτος, τοιόσδε.[2][1]
  2. Correlative with ꙗкъ же, ꙗко: as… so, such… as; for οἷος… τοιοῦτος.[2]
  3. With иже: such… who.[2]
  4. Neuter plural, as a noun: such things.[1]

Word family

  • таковьсь

References

  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 323
  4. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  5. ^ Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 13
  6. ^ a b Gil'tebrandt, P. A. (1882–1885), Spravočnyj i ob''jasnitel'nyj slovar' k Novomu Zavetu, 6 vols., Sankt-Peterburg
  7. ^ a b SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de