творити

Forms

творити (tvoriti) impf^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *tvoriti (“to make”).^[2][1] The same word is Russian творить (tvorítʹ), Ukrainian творити (tvorýty), Belarusian тварыць (tvarýcʹ), Bulgarian творя (tvorjá), Serbo-Croatian tvòriti, Slovene tvoriti, Czech tvořit, Slovak tvoriť, Polish tworzyć, Upper Sorbian tworić and Lower Sorbian tworiś.^[1][2][3]

Wiktionary derives it from Proto-Balto-Slavic *twarīˀtei, a causative or iterative of Proto-Indo-European *twerH- (“to fence in, to grab”);^[1][2] Derksen reconstructs *tworʔ- and *tuorH-.^[1][2] The Baltic cognates are Lithuanian tvérti (“to seize; to form”), sutverti (“to create”), turė́ti (“to hold”), Latvian tvert (“to seize, to hold”) and Old Prussian turīt (“to have”).^[2][4][3][1] Sadnik–Aitzetmüller and Wiktionary add Ancient Greek σορός (sorós, “urn”).^[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Codex Zographensis, the Marianus, the Assemanianus and the Savvina kniga have да не чюѥтъ шюица твоꙗ чьто творитъ десница твоꙗ “let not your left hand know what your right hand does” (Mt 6, 3), for Ancient Greek ποιέω (poiéō, “to do, to make”).^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

The SJS divides the verb into “to do” and “to make”.^[6] Under the first come to do or perform (ποιεῖν, Ancient Greek πράσσω (prássō), Ancient Greek ἐπιτελέω (epiteléō), Ancient Greek ἐργάζομαι (ergázomai)); to commit, as in творѧштѧѩ безаконие “those who do iniquity” (Mt 13, 41); in the reflexive, to happen (for Ancient Greek γίγνομαι (gígnomai)); to cause, as in не твори ми троуда “do not trouble me” (L 11, 7); and to make someone do something (Mt 5, 32).^[6] Under the second come to make or form, to create, of God (Cloz 4b 35), and to build.^[6] The perfective is сътворити, and the manuscripts vary between the two: in L 12, 33 the Savvina kniga has творите where the Zographensis, Marianus, Assemanianus and Ostromir Gospels have сътворите.^[6]

In later Church Slavonic Dyachenko records, besides the senses of creation, “to knead”, of millet flour in warm water, and in old texts “to say, to claim” and “to think”.^[7] Giltebrandt lists it in the New Testament for ποιεῖν, πράσσειν, ἐπιτελεῖν, ἐργάζεσθαι and χρῆσθαι.^[8]

Timeline

• End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – творити renders ποιεῖν and πράσσειν in the Euchologium Sinaiticum.^[9]
• 1882–1885 – Giltebrandt lists the New Testament uses of the verb in Church Slavonic.^[8]
• 1899 – Dyachenko records the later Church Slavonic senses “to knead”, “to say” and “to think”.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To do, perform, carry out; for ποιεῖν, πράσσειν, ἐπιτελεῖν.^[6][5][1]
2. To commit (a sin or crime); for ποιεῖν, πράσσειν, ἐργάζεσθαι.^[6]
3. (reflexive and passive) To happen, take place; for γίγνεσθαι.^[6]
4. To cause, bring about; for ποιεῖν, παρέχειν.^[6]
5. To make someone do something; for ποιεῖν.^[6]
6. To make, form, produce; for ποιεῖν, πλάσσειν.^[6][5][1]
7. To create (of God); for συνιστάναι.^[6]
8. To build, set up.^[6]

Word family

• благотворити
• животворити
• затворити
• отворити
• потворити
• притворити
• прѣтворити
• растворити
• сътворити
• творитель
• творьць
• оутворити
• благосътворити
• благотворивъ
• чоудотвориѥ

Related words

• притворъ
• тварь
• творъ
• оутварь

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 Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 501
3. ^ a b Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 34
4. ^ a b Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 324
5. ^ a b c 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. ^ 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
7. ^ a b D'jačenko, Grigorij (1899), Polnyj cerkovno-slavjanskij slovar', Moskva
8. ^ a b Gil'tebrandt, P. A. (1882–1885), Spravočnyj i ob''jasnitel'nyj slovar' k Novomu Zavetu, 6 vols., Sankt-Peterburg
9. ^ SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de