ѕѣло

Forms

ѕѣло (dzělo)^[1] Also spelled зѣло (zělo), the usual spelling in the Codex Suprasliensis.^[2][3][1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Slavic *dzělo (“very”), which Wiktionary derives from the adjective Proto-Slavic *dzělъ (“vehement”), OCS ѕѣлъ, for Ancient Greek σφοδρός (sphodrós).^[1][4][5] The same word is the archaic Russian зело (zeló), Belarusian до зела (do zjela), Slovene zẹlọ̑ and Macedonian ѕело (dzelo), and Old East Slavic зѣлъ (zělŭ, “strong”) is the adjective.^[5][4][1]

The adjective goes back to Proto-Balto-Slavic *gailas and Proto-Indo-European *gʰoylos.^[1][4] It is related to Lithuanian gailus (“sharp, irascible, vindictive”), Latvian gails (“lustful”), Old High German geil (“reckless, wanton, strong”) and German geil.^[4][5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Gospels it renders Ancient Greek σφόδρα (sphódra, “very, exceedingly”), as in дъва бѣсъна... л҄юта ѕѣло “two possessed men, very fierce” (Mt 8:28, in the Codex Zographensis and the Codex Assemanianus) and оубоѣшѧ сѧ ѕѣло “they were greatly afraid” (Mt 27:54, in the Codex Marianus and the Codex Assemanianus).^[2]

Semantic evolution

The SNSP counts more than 200 uses.^[2] Besides σφόδρα it renders Ancient Greek λίαν (lían), μάλα (mála), πάνυ (pánu) and πολύ (polú), and in the Codex Suprasliensis a wide range of other adverbs such as ἀκριβῶς (akribôs, “exactly”) and ἀσφαλῶς (asphalôs, “securely”).^[2][7] With an adjective it renders Greek superlatives: великъ ѕѣло for παμμεγεθέστατος and вꙑсокъ ѕѣло for ὑψηλώτατος, and тъгда ѕѣло translates αὐτίκα μάλα, “at once” (Supr 372:10).^[2][7]

Later Church Slavonic kept it as the usual intensive adverb, for σφόδρα and λίαν in the New Testament.^[8] In Russian it survives only as an archaism.^[4]

Timeline

• End of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century – the Euchologium Sinaiticum uses ѕѣло for λίαν.^[9]
• Until the beginning of the 15th century – a Serbian translation from the Rila Monastery uses it for λίαν, μέγα and μεγάλως.^[9]
• 1882–1885 – Giltebrandt lists its New Testament uses for σφόδρα and λίαν.^[8]

Meanings

Adverb

1. very, greatly, exceedingly; for σφόδρα, λίαν, μάλα.^[7][2][1]
2. Too much, excessively.^[7][2]
3. With a comparative: much, by far; for μᾶλλον, πολλῷ.^[7]

Related words

• ѕѣлъ
• Russian зело (zeló)

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. ^ Derksen, Rick (2008), Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 4, Leiden / Boston: Brill
4. ^ 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. 138
5. ^ a b c Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 2, 92
6. ^ Sadnik, Linda; Aitzetmüller, Rudolf (1955), Handwörterbuch zu den altkirchenslavischen Texten, Heidelberg: Winter / 's-Gravenhage: Mouton, p. 336
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 Gil'tebrandt, P. A. (1882–1885), Spravočnyj i ob''jasnitel'nyj slovar' k Novomu Zavetu, 6 vols., Sankt-Peterburg
9. ^ a b SlaVaComp Metaglossar Griechisch–Kirchenslavisch, Universität Freiburg, slavistik-portal.de