Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/lěvъ
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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
From Proto-Indo-European *leh₂iwos, a derivative of *leh₂-yé-ti (“to lurk, to ambush”) + *-wós, ultimately from *leh₂- (“to be hidden, to wait from a distance”). Cognates include Ancient Greek λαιός (laiós), Latin laevus. The adjective got its meaning likely due to the popular view that the left hand is the weaker, less suitable hand to use.
Adjective
Inflection
Indefinite declension of *lěvъ (hard)
| singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | *lěvъ | *lěva | *lěvo |
| genitive | *lěva | *lěvy | *lěva |
| dative | *lěvu | *lěvě | *lěvu |
| accusative | *lěvъ | *lěvǫ | *lěvo |
| instrumental | *lěvomь | *lěvojǫ | *lěvomь |
| locative | *lěvě | *lěvě | *lěvě |
| vocative | *lěve | *lěvo | *lěvo |
| dual | masculine | feminine | neuter |
| nominative | *lěva | *lěvě | *lěvě |
| genitive | *lěvu | *lěvu | *lěvu |
| dative | *lěvoma | *lěvama | *lěvoma |
| accusative | *lěva | *lěvě | *lěvě |
| instrumental | *lěvoma | *lěvama | *lěvoma |
| locative | *lěvu | *lěvu | *lěvu |
| vocative | *lěva | *lěvě | *lěvě |
| plural | masculine | feminine | neuter |
| nominative | *lěvi | *lěvy | *lěva |
| genitive | *lěvъ | *lěvъ | *lěvъ |
| dative | *lěvomъ | *lěvamъ | *lěvomъ |
| accusative | *lěvy | *lěvy | *lěva |
| instrumental | *lěvy | *lěvami | *lěvy |
| locative | *lěvěxъ | *lěvaxъ | *lěvěxъ |
| vocative | *lěvi | *lěvy | *lěva |
Definite declension of *lěvъ (hard)
| singular | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | *lěvъjь | *lěvaja | *lěvoje |
| genitive | *lěvajego | *lěvyję̇ | *lěvajego |
| dative | *lěvujemu | *lěvěji | *lěvujemu |
| accusative | *lěvъjь | *lěvǫjǫ | *lěvoje |
| instrumental | *lěvyjimь | *lěvǫjǫ | *lěvyjimь |
| locative | *lěvějemь | *lěvěji | *lěvějemь |
| vocative | *lěvъjь | *lěvaja | *lěvoje |
| dual | masculine | feminine | neuter |
| nominative | *lěvaja | *lěvěji | *lěvěji |
| genitive | *lěvuju | *lěvuju | *lěvuju |
| dative | *lěvyjima | *lěvyjima | *lěvyjima |
| accusative | *lěvaja | *lěvěji | *lěvěji |
| instrumental | *lěvyjima | *lěvyjima | *lěvyjima |
| locative | *lěvuju | *lěvuju | *lěvuju |
| vocative | *lěvaja | *lěvěji | *lěvěji |
| plural | masculine | feminine | neuter |
| nominative | *lěviji | *lěvyję̇ | *lěvaja |
| genitive | *lěvъjixъ | *lěvъjixъ | *lěvъjixъ |
| dative | *lěvyjimъ | *lěvyjimъ | *lěvyjimъ |
| accusative | *lěvyję̇ | *lěvyję̇ | *lěvaja |
| instrumental | *lěvyjimi | *lěvyjimi | *lěvyjimi |
| locative | *lěvyjixъ | *lěvyjixъ | *lěvyjixъ |
| vocative | *lěviji | *lěvyję̇ | *lěvaja |
Derived terms
- *lěvakъ (“left-handed man”)
Descendants
- East Slavic:
- South Slavic:
- West Slavic:
Further reading
- Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “ле́вый”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
References
- ^ Derksen, Rick (2008) “*lě̑vъ”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 4), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 275: “adj. o (c) ‘left’”
- ^ Olander, Thomas (2001) “lěvъ lěva lěvo”, in Common Slavic Accentological Word List[1], Copenhagen: Editiones Olander: “c venstre (PR 138)”