с

Forms

с (s)^[1] Before some groups of consonants it is со (со мной).^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old East Slavic съ (sŭ), from Proto-Slavic *sъ, with ⟨*sъn-⟩ as a verbal prefix;^[2] Old Russian also had съсъ (sŭsŭ).^[2] The Slavic forms are Old Church Slavonic съ (sŭ), Ukrainian з (z), Belarusian з (z), Bulgarian с (s), Serbo-Croatian s, Polish z and Czech s.^[2] In noun compounds it corresponds to ⟨*sǫ-⟩ (see су-).^[2]

Especially in the sense “with, together” it is related to Lithuanian sándora (“agreement”), Latvian suo-, Old Prussian sen (“with”), Avestan ham-, Old Norse sam- (“together”), Ancient Greek ὁμός (homós, “common, like”), ὁμοῦ (homoû, “together”), Latin similis (“like”) and simul (“at the same time”).^[2] A link with σύν (sún, “with”) is uncertain.^[2] In the senses “from, off, during”, and partly “together”, it may instead go back to Proto-Indo-European *ḱom, with cum, Old Irish com- and perhaps κατά (katá, “down, along”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Sreznevsky's materials record the Old Russian preposition съ.^[4] The Lay of Igor's Campaign uses it 32 times, first in the sense “from”, with the genitive: „Чръныя тучя съ моря идутъ” “Black clouds are coming from the sea”.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Modern Russian uses с with three cases: with the genitive for movement off or away and for origin, a starting point, a cause or a source; with the accusative for an approximate measure; with the instrumental for company and accompaniment.^[3] As a prefix с- forms verbs of bringing together, of downward movement, of removal from a surface and of copying.^[6]

Timeline

• end of the 12th century – съ моря “from the sea” in the Lay of Igor's Campaign.^[5]

Meanings

Preposition

1. (with the genitive) from, off: the place something leaves or is taken off: спрыгнуть с крыши.^[3]
2. (with the genitive) Where something comes from, or the person or place of origin: звонок с работы “a call from work”.^[3]
3. (with the genitive) A starting point in time: с утра “since the morning”.^[3]
4. (with the genitive) A source or model, or a cause: перевод с английского, со стыда “for shame”.^[3]
5. (with the accusative) about, the size of: с месяц “about a month”.^[3]
6. (with the instrumental) with: together with, accompanied by: мы с сестрой “my sister and I”.^[3][1]

Prefix

1. с-, со-: forms verbs of joining (связать), of downward movement (спрыгнуть), of removal (срезать) and of copying (срисовать).^[6]

Related words

• со
• Old East Slavic съ (sŭ)

Usage notes

С is also the nineteenth letter of the old alphabet, called слово, with the numeral value 200.^[7] The -с of polite слушаю-с is a different element, a shortening of сударь, государь.^[8] The с- of здоровый, смерть and счастье is another prefix, matching Indo-Iranian su- “good, well”.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 3, 539–540
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Ozhegov, S. I.; Shvedova, N. Yu. (1997), Tolkovyj slovar' russkogo jazyka [Толковый словарь русского языка], 4th ed., Moskva: Azbukovnik, p. s.v. с
4. ^ Sreznevsky, I. I. (1893–1912), Materialy dlja slovarja drevne-russkago jazyka po pis'mennym pamjatnikam [Материалы для словаря древнерусского языка по письменным памятникам], 3 vols., Sankt-Peterburg: Imperatorskaja Akademija nauk, p. 3, s.v. съ
5. ^ a b Vinogradova, V. L. (1965–1984), Slovar'-spravočnik «Slova o polku Igoreve» [Словарь-справочник «Слова о полку Игореве»], 6 vols., Moskva / Leningrad: Nauka, p. s.v. съ
6. ^ a b Ozhegov, S. I.; Shvedova, N. Yu. (1997), Tolkovyj slovar' russkogo jazyka [Толковый словарь русского языка], 4th ed., Moskva: Azbukovnik, p. s.v. с...
7. ^ Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 3, 539
8. ^ a b Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 3, 540