Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/byčati

This Proto-Slavic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Slavic

Etymology

Onomatopoeic, parallel to *buka (“bang”), *bučati (“to roar”) with -u- vocalism and *bykati (Czech býkat, Bulgarian би́кам (bíkam)), *bykovati (Russian быкова́ть (bykovátʹ), Polish bykować) with -y- vocalism. Further akin to Lithuanian bucêt (“to sound, to buzz”), Latvian bùkti (“to neigh”).

Some of the meanings reflect denominative *bykъ (“bull”) +‎ *-ěti = “to act as a bull” > “to ram, to jostle”.

Verb

*byčati impf

1. (onomatopoeia) to roar, to neigh

   Synonym: *bučati

2. (expressive) to ram, to jostle

Conjugation

Conjugation of *byčati, *byča, *byčitь (impf., -ě/i-, s-aorist, accent paradigm ?)

Suffix: *-ěti

Verbal noun	Infinitive	Supine	L-participle
*byčanьje	*byčati	*byčatъ	*byčalъ

	Participles
Tense	Past	Present
Passive	*byčanъ	*byčimъ
Active	*byčavъ	*byčę

	Aorist			Present
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*byčaxъ	*byča	*byča	*byčǫ	*byčiši	*byčitь
Dual	*byčaxově	*byčasta	*byčaste	*byčivě	*byčita	*byčite
Plural	*byčaxomъ	*byčaste	*byčašę	*byčimъ	*byčite	*byčętь
	Imperfect			Imperative
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*byčaaxъ	*byčaaše	*byčaaše	—	*byči	*byči
Dual	*byčaaxově	*byčaašeta	*byčaašete	*byčivě	*byčita	—
Plural	*byčaaxomъ	*byčaašete	*byčaaxǫ	*byčimъ	*byčite	—

Conjugation of *byčati, *byča, *byčajetь (impf., -ě-, s-aorist, accent paradigm ?)

Suffix: *-ěti

Verbal noun	Infinitive	Supine	L-participle
*byčanьje	*byčati	*byčatъ	*byčalъ

	Participles
Tense	Past	Present
Passive	*byčanъ	*byčajemъ
Active	*byčavъ	*byčaję

	Aorist			Present
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*byčaxъ	*byča	*byča	*byčajǫ	*byčaješi	*byčajetь
Dual	*byčaxově	*byčasta	*byčaste	*byčajevě	*byčajeta	*byčajete
Plural	*byčaxomъ	*byčaste	*byčašę	*byčajemъ	*byčajete	*byčajǫtь
	Imperfect			Imperative
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*byčaaxъ	*byčaaše	*byčaaše	—	*byčaji	*byčaji
Dual	*byčaaxově	*byčaašeta	*byčaašete	*byčajivě	*byčajita	—
Plural	*byčaaxomъ	*byčaašete	*byčaaxǫ	*byčajimъ	*byčajite	—

Related terms

• *bykъ (“bull”)

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • ⇒ Ukrainian: биць-биць (bycʹ-bycʹ), бинь-бинь (bynʹ-bynʹ, “cattle's call”)
    • ⇒ Ukrainian: бинча́ти (bynčáty), би́нькати (býnʹkaty, “to neigh, moan”) (of animal)
• South Slavic:
  • Bulgarian: би́ча (bíča), би́чкам (bíčkam, “to knock over, to trip”) (partially)
• West Slavic:
  • Czech: byčet
  • Polish: byczeć (dialectal)

References

Further reading

• Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1976), “*byčati”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological dictionary of Slavic languages] (in Russian), numbers 3 (*bratrьcь – *cьrky), Moscow: Nauka, page 146
• Georgiev, Vladimir I., editor (1971), “бича², бичкам, бична”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 1 (А – З), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Pubg. House, →ISBN, page 51
• Melnychuk, O. S., editor (1982), “бинькати”, in Етимологічний словник української мови [Etymological Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language] (in Ukrainian), volume 1 (А – Г), Kyiv: Naukova Dumka, page 184
• Anikin, A. E. (2011) “бы́каться”, in Русский этимологический словарь [Russian Etymological Dictionary] (in Russian), numbers 5 (буба – вакштаф), Moscow: Znak, →ISBN, page 277
• “baukti”, in Lietuvių kalbos etimologinio žodyno duomenų bazė [Lithuanian etymological dictionary database], 2007–2012