чьстьнъ

Forms

чьстьнъ (čĭstĭnŭ)^[1] Also spelled честьнъ and чъстьнъ.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *čьstьnъ (“honourable”), from *čьstь (“honour”) and the adjective suffix *-ьnъ; within OCS it is чьсть with -ьнъ.^[1] The same adjective is Russian честный (čestnyj), Bulgarian честен (česten), Serbo-Croatian čȁstan, Slovene částen, Czech ctný, Slovak čestný and Polish cny.^[1]

The noun *čьstь comes from Proto-Balto-Slavic *kistis, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kʷit-tis, from the root *(s)kʷeyt- (“to notice, perceive”), and is related to the verb чисти.^[1][3][4] Its closest cognates are Sanskrit चित्ति (cítti, “thinking, understanding”) and Avestan čisti- (“consciousness”).^[3][1][4] Vasmer adds Latvian šķist (“to think”), and Sadnik, with an initial s-, Lithuanian skaitýti (“to count, to read”).^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Gospels it renders Ancient Greek ἔντιμος (éntimos): еда къто чьстьнѣи тебе бѫдетъ “lest someone more honourable than you be invited” (L 14, 8), in the Zographensis, the Marianus, the Assemanianus and the Savvina kniga.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Most of its uses render Ancient Greek τίμιος (tímios) and ἔντιμος, “honourable, venerable”, said of persons and of holy things, as честьнѫѭ ѥго главѫ “his venerable head” in the Codex Suprasliensis.^[6][2] It was a title of address, чьстьнꙑи отьче “venerable father”, for τίμιε πάτερ (Supr 120, 28), and it could mean noble, famous or excellent, translating Ancient Greek σεβαστός (sebastós), σεβάσμιος (sebásmios) and εὐγενής (eugenḗs).^[6] A second sense, “pious”, renders Ancient Greek εὐσεβής (eusebḗs) in the Codex Suprasliensis.^[6][2] Miklosich also records it for Ancient Greek σεμνός (semnós) and the Latin pretiosus of precious stones.^[7]

Timeline

• End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the Euchologium translation uses чьстьнъ beside драгъ for τίμιος.^[8]
• 14th century – the Athonite Serbian translation of Gregory of Nyssa uses it for τίμιος.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. honourable, venerable, respected; for τίμιος, ἔντιμος.^[6][2][1]
2. (in address) Venerable, reverend; for τίμιος, σεβάσμιος.^[6][2]
3. noble, glorious, excellent; for σεβαστός, εὐγενής.^[6]
4. Showing respect, respectful.^[6]
5. pious, devout; for εὐσεβής.^[6][2]

Word family

• чьстьно
• прѣчьстьнъ
• бещьстьнъ

Related words

• чьсть
• чьстити
• чисти
• Russian честный (čestnyj)

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ a b Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 350
5. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 223
6. ^ a b c d e f g h Kurz, Josef; Hauptová, Zoe (eds.) (1958–1997), Slovník jazyka staroslověnského / Lexicon linguae palaeoslovenicae, 4 vols. + supplements, Praha: Academia; digital ed. gorazd.org
7. ^ Miklosich, Franz (1862–1865), Lexicon palaeoslovenico-graeco-latinum emendatum auctum, Vindobonae: Braumüller
8. ^ a b SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de