о

о¹ about, against (preposition)

Pronunciation

• [ə], [ɐ], [o]^[1]

Forms

о (o)^[1] Before vowels it is об, and обо before some groups of consonants (обо мне).^[2][3] It is unstressed, except where the stress passes to it from the noun, as in бок о́ бок and о́б пол.^[4]

Etymology

The preposition is inherited from Old East Slavic о (o), beside объ (obŭ), from Proto-Slavic *o(b).^[1][5][6] It is Old Church Slavonic о (o) or объ (obŭ) in Old Church Slavonic, translating Ancient Greek περί (perí) and κατά (katá), Ukrainian о (o), Bulgarian о (o), Czech o and Polish o.^[5] Vasmer reconstructs the Proto-Slavic form without a final jer, since only ⟨-бв-⟩ could give ⟨-б-⟩, as in оболочка, обоз and обонять; обо arose beside об after the loss of the weak jers, like со beside с, and the form without ⟨б⟩ comes from *ob- before consonants.^[5][3]

In Slavic two Indo-European prepositions fell together: Proto-Indo-European *obʰi and *opi or *epi.^[5][3] To the first belong Old Persian abiy (“to, towards”) and Latin ob (“towards, on account of”); to the second Lithuanian apiẽ (“about”), Latvian ap (“around”) and Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí, “on”).^[5] Old Prussian ep-, which renders German ⟨be-⟩, is related too.^[5] Wiktionary reconstructs *h₃ebʰi.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Izbornik of 1076 has it with the locative for the object of a feeling: „Скорби о грѣсѣхъ. въздыхаи о съблазнѣхъ” “grieve over sins, sigh over temptations”.^[7]

Semantic evolution

With the accusative it marked contact or collision, as in „и акы о камыкъ бо приразивъшесѧ ѡскакахѹ” “and as if dashed against a stone they sprang back” in the Life of Theodosius of the Caves (12th century); with the locative it marked the object of thought, feeling or action, its cause, and the sphere something applies to.^[7] The Lay of Igor's Campaign uses it of weapons ringing on helmets: „саблямъ потручяти о шеломы Половецкыя”.^[8] Shaposhnikov records о, об and объ in the 11th–17th centuries.^[6] The sense “having”, as in дом о трёх окнах “a house with three windows”, is now dated or regional.^[2]

Timeline

• 1076 – о грѣсѣхъ “over sins” in the Izbornik of 1076.^[7]
• 12th century – о камыкъ “against a stone” in the Life of Theodosius of the Caves.^[7]
• end of the 12th century – о шеломы “on the helmets” in the Lay of Igor's Campaign.^[8]
• 1377 – ѹдари имь ѡ землю “struck him against the ground”, under 992, in the Laurentian Chronicle.^[7]

Meanings

Preposition

1. With the accusative: against, on, of contact or collision: удариться коленом о стол.^[2][4][1]
2. With the prepositional: about, concerning, of: книга о войне.^[2][1]
3. (dated, regional) With the prepositional: having, with: изба о двух дверях.^[2]

о² oh! (interjection)

Pronunciation

• [o]^[1]

Etymology

The interjection is inherited from Old East Slavic о (o), from Proto-Slavic *o, a natural exclamation.^[1] Vasmer lists Old Church Slavonic о (o) for Ancient Greek ὦ (ô), Ukrainian о (o), Bulgarian о (o), Slovene ō, Czech o and Polish o, but doubts that these forms are historically connected, given their different vowel lengths.^[9] Trubachev compares, as exclamations of similar origin, Latin ō, ōh, Gothic 𐍉 (ō, “oh, fie!”) and German oh, and thinks the Czech interjection may come from German.^[9] Shaposhnikov calls it a pure interjection inherited from Proto-Slavic, without regular kin,^[6] and Shansky and Bobrova a reflex cry of surprise or delight.^[10]

Earliest recorded meaning

SDRJa counts 722 instances in Old Russian; the oldest are of the 12th century, such as „о увы мнѣ г҃не мои” “O woe is me, my lord” in the Tale of Boris and Gleb, and „ѡ страшьно и дивьно чюдо” “O fearful and wondrous miracle” in another 12th-century text.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The Lay of Igor's Campaign uses it in rhetorical address, nine times: „О Руская землѣ! уже за шеломянемъ еси!” “O Russian land, you are already beyond the hill!”.^[8] Shaposhnikov notes it in the 11th–17th centuries for admiration, fright, indignation and other feelings.^[6]

Timeline

• 12th century – о увы мнѣ “O woe is me” in the Tale of Boris and Gleb.^[7]
• end of the 12th century – О Руская землѣ! in the Lay of Igor's Campaign.^[8]

Meanings

Interjection

1. oh, O: expresses a strong feeling such as delight, surprise or grief: о, как здесь красиво!.^[6][11][1]
2. Strengthens a yes or a no: о нет!.^[6]