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так

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Pronunciation

Forms

так (tak)[1] The pre-1918 spelling is такъ.[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old East Slavic тако (tako) and такъ (takŭ), from Proto-Slavic *tako (“so”), an adverb made from the pronoun *takъ (“such”).[1][2] The word is common Slavic: Old Church Slavonic тако (tako) for Ancient Greek οὕτως (hoútōs), Ukrainian так (tak), Bulgarian така (taka), Serbo-Croatian тако (tako), Slovene tako, Czech tak and Polish tak.[2][1] Shansky and Bobrova explain the modern form by the loss of the unstressed final /o/, as in как and сям.[3]

The pronoun is formed with the suffix ⟨-k-⟩, as in сяк and яко, from the demonstrative stem of тот, which is тъ (tŭ) in Old Church Slavonic and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *to-.[2][4][5] Its cognates are Lithuanian tóks (“such”) and Latin tālis (“such”).[2][1] такой is formed from the same Proto-Slavic stem.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adverb is in the Ostromir Gospel of 1056–1057 in the sense “thus, in this way”: „Тако писано есть, и тако подобааше пострадати Ху” “thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer” (Luke 24:46).[6] A 12th-century Novgorod birchbark letter (no. 954) has „оже еси тако сътворилъ” “that thou hast done so”.[6]

Semantic evolution

The short form такъ is first recorded, according to Vasmer, in the Prologue of 1356;[2][5] the English traveller Richard James noted both tako and tak in the speech of the Russian North in 1618–1619.[5] Old Russian also had тако же “likewise” and a verb такати “to confirm”.[4]

The causal conjunction так как “since, as” grew out of the two adverbs так, как in official and business prose;[7] Vinogradov dates the fused conjunction to the end of the 18th century at the earliest and its full acceptance in the literary language to the 1840s–1850s, and notes that Pushkin used it only once, ironically, in Eugene Onegin.[7] In the dialects of Arkhangelsk the conjunction means “therefore, so”.[8]

Timeline

  • 1056–1057 – тако “thus” in the Ostromir Gospel.[6]
  • 12th century – тако сътворилъ “hast done so” in a Novgorod birchbark letter.[6]
  • 1356 – the short form такъ in the Prologue of 1356.[2][5]
  • 1618–1619 – tako and tak noted by Richard James in the North.[5]
  • 1731 – какъ в тотъ месяц такъ и в другой “in that month as in the other” in a dictionary.[5]
  • 1762 – такъ in a dictionary.[5]
  • end of the 18th century – так как becomes one causal conjunction.[7]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. thus, in this or that way, like this: сделай так, как я показал.[9][10][1]
  2. To such a degree, so: он так устал, что сразу уснул.[9][1]
  3. (colloquial) Without a particular purpose or consequence; for nothing, free: просто так.[11]
  4. (colloquial, often так себе) So-so, not very good.[1][11]

Particle

  1. Yes, right: confirms or agrees.[4][12]

Conjunction

  1. Then, so, therefore: introduces a consequence: устал, так отдохни.[10][4]
  2. In как …, так и … “both … and”.[1]

Word family

  • также
  • итак
  • этак
  • так как

Usage notes

Epishkin lists a separate onomatopoeic так, the sound of short sharp blows such as machine-gun fire, beside French tac.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), Ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka, transl. and suppl. by O. N. Trubačev, 4 vols., Moskva: Progress, p. 4, 12
  3. ^ Shansky, N. M.; Bobrova, T. A. (2004), Škol'nyj ètimologičeskij slovar' russkogo jazyka [Школьный этимологический словарь русского языка], 7th ed., Moskva: Drofa, p. s.v. так
  4. ^ a b c d e Chernykh, P. Ya. (1993), Istoriko-ètimologičeskij slovar' sovremennogo russkogo jazyka [Историко-этимологический словарь современного русского языка], 2 vols., Moskva: Russkij jazyk, p. 2, s.v. так
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Shaposhnikov, A. K. (2010), Ètimologičeskij slovar' sovremennogo russkogo jazyka [Этимологический словарь современного русского языка], 2 vols., Moskva: Flinta / Nauka, p. 2, 402
  6. ^ a b c d Barkhudarov, S. G. et al. (eds.) (1975–), Slovar' russkogo jazyka XI–XVII vv. [Словарь русского языка XI–XVII вв.], vols. 1–31, Moskva: Nauka / Azbukovnik / Lexrus, p. 29, 196
  7. ^ a b c Vinogradov, V. V. (1999), Istorija slov [История слов], Moskva: Institut russkogo jazyka RAN (online edition, etymolog.ruslang.ru), p. s.v. так
  8. ^ Filin, F. P.; Sorokoletov, F. P.; Myznikov, S. A. (eds.) (1965–), Slovar' russkix narodnyx govorov [Словарь русских народных говоров], vols. 1–51, Moskva / Leningrad / Sankt-Peterburg: Nauka, p. 43, 225
  9. ^ a b Ozhegov, S. I.; Shvedova, N. Yu. (1997), Tolkovyj slovar' russkogo jazyka [Толковый словарь русского языка], 4th ed., Moskva: Azbukovnik, p. s.v. так
  10. ^ a b Evgen'eva, A. P. (ed.) (1981–1984), Slovar' russkogo jazyka v četyrex tomax [Словарь русского языка в 4 тт.] (MAS), 2nd ed., Moskva: Russkij jazyk, p. s.v. так
  11. ^ a b Efremova, T. F. (2000), Novyj slovar' russkogo jazyka. Tolkovo-slovoobrazovatel'nyj [Новый словарь русского языка. Толково-словообразовательный], 2 vols., Moskva: Russkij jazyk, p. s.v. так
  12. ^ Ushakov, D. N. (ed.) (1935–1940), Tolkovyj slovar' russkogo jazyka [Толковый словарь русского языка], 4 vols., Moskva: Sovetskaja ènciklopedija / OGIZ, p. s.v. так
  13. ^ Epishkin, N. I. (2010), Istoričeskij slovar' gallicizmov russkogo jazyka [Исторический словарь галлицизмов русского языка], Moskva: ÈTS, p. s.v. так