Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/žьrti

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

Alternative forms

*žerti

Etymology

Generally presumed to reflect Proto-Balto-Slavic *gírˀtei (“to praise”)^[1], from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- (“to approve, to praise”).

Cognate yé-presents Lithuanian gìrti (“to praise”), Old Prussian girtwei (“to praise”), Latvian dzir̃t (“to honor”), dzirtiês (“to boast”) (usually reflexive) and perhaps Sanskrit गुरते (guráte, “to welcome”). Further akin to Sanskrit जरते (járate, “to address, to call for”), गृणाति (gṛṇā́ti, “to praise, to invoke”).

An older interpretation^[2] suggests origin from *gʷer- (“to raise voice, to vocalize, to resonate”) (cf. Lithuanian gar̃sas (“sound, echo”), ger̃bti (“to respect”)).

Verb

*žьrti^[1]^[3]

(originally) to consecrate
(transitive) to sacrifice

Conjugation

Conjugation of *žьrti, *žьr, *žьretь (impf., -C-, s-aorist, accent paradigm b)

Verbal noun	Infinitive	Supine	L-participle
*žьrtьje	*žьrti	*žьrtъ	*žьrlъ

	Participles
Tense	Past	Present
Passive	*žьrtъ	*žьromъ
Active	*žьrъ	*žьry

	Aorist			Present
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*žьrxъ	*žьr	*žьr	*žьrǫ	*žьreši	*žьretь
Dual	*žьrxově	*žьrsta	*žьrste	*žьrevě	*žьreta	*žьrete
Plural	*žьrxomъ	*žьrste	*žьršę	*žьremъ	*žьrete	*žьrǫtь
	Imperfect			Imperative
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*žьrěaxъ	*žьrěaše	*žьrěaše	—	*žьri	*žьri
Dual	*žьrěaxově	*žьrěašeta	*žьrěašete	*žьrěvě	*žьrěta	—
Plural	*žьrěaxomъ	*žьrěašete	*žьrěaxǫ	*žьrěmъ	*žьrěte	—

(*)*žьrenъ is doublet of past passive participle

Intensive stem: *žirati

Derived terms

*požirati, *požьrěti (“to offer for sacrifice”)
*žьrьcь m (“priest”), *žьrica f (“priestess”)
*žьrtva (“sacrifice”)
*žьrtьje (“sacrificial ritual”)
*žьrěta (“sacral incantation”)

Related terms

*gora (“highland”)
*gornъ m, *gorno n (“verse, spell, chant”)
*gъrdъ (“proud”)

Descendants

East Slavic:
- Old East Slavic: жрьти (žrĭti), жрети (žreti)
  - Russian: жреть (žretʹ) (archaic)
South Slavic:
- Old Church Slavonic:
  Old Cyrillic script: жрьти (žrĭti)
  
  Glagolitic script: ⰶⱃⰹⱅⰹ (žriti)

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Derksen, Rick (2008) “*žьrti; *žerti”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 4), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 566: “v. ‘sacrifice’”
^ Smoczyński, Wojciech (1982) Indoeuropejskie podstawy słownictwa bałtyckiego, ABSI 14, pages 235-236
^ Olander, Thomas (2001) “¹žьrti (žerti): žьr(j)ǫ žьr(j)etь”, in Common Slavic Accentological Word List‎, Copenhagen: Editiones Olander: “b ofre (SA 203, 248f.; PR 136)”