Etymologically
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чьсть

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Forms

чьсть (čĭstĭ) f, i-stem[1] Also written честь and чъсть; the Zographensis once has the slip чисти (J 4, 44).[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *čьstь (“honour, respect”).[1][4][5] The same word is Russian честь (čestʹ), Czech čest, Polish cześć, Upper Sorbian česć, Serbo-Croatian čȃst, Slovene čȃst and Bulgarian чест (čest), the last also meaning luck or happiness.[4][6] In Serbo-Croatian it also means a feast or treat.[7]

The Proto-Slavic noun belongs with чисти (čisti, “to count, read, honour”).[6][8] It goes back to Proto-Balto-Slavic *kistis and Proto-Indo-European *(s)kʷit-tis, an abstract noun from *(s)kʷeyt- (“to notice, perceive”).[1][4] Exact counterparts are Sanskrit चित्ति (cítti, “thinking, understanding”) and Avestan čisti- (“thinking, knowledge”).[1][4][6] Another grade of the root, with initial s-, is seen in Lithuanian skaitýti (“to count, read”) and Latvian skaitīt (“to count, recite prayers”).[6][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Gospels it renders Ancient Greek τιμή (timḗ, “honour”): пророкъ въ своемь отъчьствии не иматъ чьсти “a prophet has no honour in his own country” (J 4, 44 Marianus, Zographensis with the spelling чисти).[3][2]

Semantic evolution

In the canonical texts the word means honour, respect and esteem, then honour shown to someone, veneration, as in въ чьсть свѧтꙑхъ твоихъ “in honour of your saints” (Euch 13, 19), and an honour given as a reward or gift (A 28, 10).[3] It also means religious veneration or cult, and by metonymy the object of a cult, an idol; and dignity, rank or nobility.[3] The Greek behind it is almost always τιμή, with τὸ ἐπίσημον in the Clozianus;[3][2][9] Miklosich also gives σέβασμα, ἀξίωμα and εὐσέβεια.[3][2][9]

Texts of Moravian and Bohemian origin use it for a celebration or feast, for Latin festum and sollemnia.[3] ESJS lists a large family: нечьсть “dishonour, impiety”, почьсть “honour”, прѣчьсть “grace, bounty”, чьстьнъ “honourable, pious”, чьстивъ, чьстити “to honour”, and the compounds благочьстиѥ and богочьстиѥ “piety”, after Greek εὐσέβεια and θεοσέβεια; the adjective бештьстии “without honour” grew out of the phrase без чьсти.[10]

Timeline

  • End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the Euchologium Sinaiticum uses чьсть for τιμή.[11]
  • 14th century – the Serbian Athonite translation of Gregory of Nyssa uses it for τιμή, ἀξία and ἀξίωμα.[11]

Meanings

Noun

  1. honour, respect, esteem; for τιμή.[3][2][1]
  2. Honour shown to someone, veneration; for τιμή, τὸ ἐπίσημον.[3][2]
  3. An honour given as a reward or gift; for τιμή.[3]
  4. Religious veneration, cult; by metonymy an object of worship, an idol.[3]
  5. Celebration, feast (in texts of Moravian and Bohemian origin).[3]
  6. dignity, rank, nobility.[3][1]

Word family

  • чьстьнъ
  • чьстивъ
  • чьстити
  • нечьсть
  • почьсть
  • прѣчьсть
  • прѣчьстьнъ
  • нечьстивъ
  • нечьстиѥ
  • нечьствовати
  • благочьстиѥ
  • благочьстивъ
  • богочьстиѥ
  • доброчьстиѥ
  • доброчьстивъ
  • зълочьстьнъ
  • мъногочьстьнъ
  • чисти
  • Russian честь (čestʹ)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 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
  4. ^ a b c d Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 94
  5. ^ Trubačev, Oleg N.; Žuravlev, Anatolij F.; Varbot, Žanna Ž. (eds.) (1974–2021), Ètimologičeskij slovar' slavjanskix jazykov: praslavjanskij leksičeskij fond, vols. 1–42, Moskva: Nauka
  6. ^ a b c d Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 350
  7. ^ Trubačev, Oleg N.; Žuravlev, Anatolij F.; Varbot, Žanna Ž. (eds.) (1974–2021), Ètimologičeskij slovar' slavjanskix jazykov: praslavjanskij leksičeskij fond, vols. 1–42, Moskva: Nauka, p. 4, 174
  8. ^ a b Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 223
  9. ^ a b Miklosich, Franz (1862–1865), Lexicon palaeoslovenico-graeco-latinum emendatum auctum, Vindobonae: Braumüller
  10. ^ Havlová, Eva; Erhart, Adolf; Janyšková, Ilona (eds.) (1989–2022), Etymologický slovník jazyka staroslověnského, 21 fascicles, Praha: Academia / Brno: Tribun EU, p. 119
  11. ^ a b SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de