Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/brъkati

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

Of unclear origin, possibly polygenetic. Proposed etymologies:

• From Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewk-, based on the alternation between *brъkati (0-grade), *brykati (enlonged grade), *brukati (o-grade). Cognate with Lithuanian brùkti, braũkti (“to shove, to thrush”) and Latvian bràukt (“to ride”) (originally: to stroke).
• Per Derksen, Doublet of *brъsati, *brysati (“to sweep, to smack”) from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewḱ-.
• Of onomatopoeic origin + *-kati, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrew- (“to brew, to disrupt”). Akin to *brujati (“to rustle”).

Compare also Proto-Slavic *bъrkati (“to trim, to croр (feathers); to poke; to wrinkle”).

Verb

*brъkati impf

1. to shove, to thrush
2. to stroke with a tool → to whisk, to stir, to mingle
3. (figurative) to blunder
4. (reflexive) (+ *sę) to interfere

Alternative forms

• *brykati (in East Slavic, Polish)

Conjugation

Conjugation of *brъkati, *brъka, *brъkajetь (impf., -a-, s-aorist, accent paradigm ?)

Suffix: *-ati

Verbal noun	Infinitive	Supine	L-participle
*brъkanьje	*brъkati	*brъkatъ	*brъkalъ

	Participles
Tense	Past	Present
Passive	*brъkanъ	*brъkajemъ
Active	*brъkavъ	*brъkaję

	Aorist			Present
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*brъkaxъ	*brъka	*brъka	*brъkajǫ	*brъkaješi	*brъkajetь
Dual	*brъkaxově	*brъkasta	*brъkaste	*brъkajevě	*brъkajeta	*brъkajete
Plural	*brъkaxomъ	*brъkaste	*brъkašę	*brъkajemъ	*brъkajete	*brъkajǫtь
	Imperfect			Imperative
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*brъkaaxъ	*brъkaaše	*brъkaaše	—	*brъkaji	*brъkaji
Dual	*brъkaaxově	*brъkaašeta	*brъkaašete	*brъkajivě	*brъkajita	—
Plural	*brъkaaxomъ	*brъkaašete	*brъkaaxǫ	*brъkajimъ	*brъkajite	—

Derived terms

• *zabrъkati, *nabrъkati (“to stir up”)
• *obrъkati, *sъbrъkati (“to make an error”)
• *orzbrъkati (“to stir, to blend”)
• *pobrъkati (“to drive (s.o.) mad”)
• *brъkočь (“mess, hotchpotch”)
• *brъkanica (“stirring”)
• *brъkadlo (“stirrer (tool), whisk”)
• *brъkačь (“stirrer (agent)”)

Related terms

• *brъsati (“to wipe, to smack”)
• *brysati (“to sweep”)
• *brъskati (“to smack, to beat”)
• *brukati (“to strike down; to despise”)

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Belarusian: бры́каць (brýkacʹ)
  • Russian: брока́ть (brokátʹ), брыка́ть (brykátʹ)
  • Ukrainian: брика́ти (brykáty)
• South Slavic:
  • Bulgarian: бъ́ркам (bǎ́rkam), dial. бръ́кам (brǎ́kam)
  • Macedonian: брка (brka)
  • Serbo-Croatian:

    Cyrillic script: бр́кати

    Latin script: bŕkati

  • Slovene: bŕkati
• West Slavic:
  • Czech: brkati
  • Polish: brykać
  • Slovak: bŕkať

Further reading

• Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1976), “*brъkati”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological dictionary of Slavic languages] (in Russian), numbers 3 (*bratrьcь – *cьrky), Moscow: Nauka, page 53
• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “брока́ть”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Georgiev, Vladimir I., editor (1971), “бъркам”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volumes 1 (А – З), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Pubg. House, →ISBN, page 102
• Snoj, Marko (2016) “brkati”, in Slovenski etimološki slovar [Slovenian Etymology Dictionary] (in Slovene), 3rd edition, https://fran.si