Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/braga

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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

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Etymology

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East Slavic isogloss, of uncertain origin. Due to its limited attestation, no secure etymology could be reconstructed, however, on basis of semantics it may be supposed that the word is related to Proto-Slavic *brьzgati/*brězgati (to decompose, to burst, to get bitter/sour). Perhaps, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreHg- (to rot, to have strong odour).

Usually compared to Welsh brag (malt) and Irish braich (malt), with Vasmer even admitting the possibility that the Slavic lemma was borrowed from an early Celtic dialect. This is unlikely in view of Old Irish mraich, which favors the reconstruction of Proto-Celtic *mrakis rather than *brakis.

Noun

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*braga f

  1. yeast, must (pre-distilled alcohol mixture)
    Synonyms: *droždža, *droba

Declension

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Belarusian: бра́га (bráha)
  • Russian: бра́га (brága)
  • Ukrainian: бра́га (bráha)
  • → Polish: braha (dialectal, via Ukrainian or Belarussian)
  • → Lower Sorbian: bražka (possibly)

Further reading

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  • Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “брага”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
  • Sławski, Franciszek, editor (1974), “*braga”, in Słownik prasłowiański [Proto-Slavic Dictionary] (in Polish), volume 1 (a – bьzděti), Wrocław: Ossolineum, page 353