Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/-a

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.

Inherited from Proto-Balto-Slavic *-āˀ, from Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂ f. Compare Lithuanian -a, Latvian -a.

*-a f

1. forms female equivalents to masculine nouns

   ‎*bratranъ (“son of brother”) + ‎*-a → ‎*bratrana (“daughter of brother”)

   ‎*õrbъ (“(male) servant, slave”) + ‎*-a → ‎*ōrbà (“(female) servant, slave”)

   ‎*aščerъ (“(male) lizard”) + ‎*-a → ‎*aščera (“(female) lizard”)

2. forms abstract nouns (later often concreted) from verbs

   ‎*korìti (“to force humility, submission”) + ‎*-a → ‎*kara (“punishment”)

   ‎*bornìti (“to defend”) + ‎*-a → ‎*bōrnà / *bornà (“defence; gate”)

   ‎*trāvìti (“to use, to eat”) + ‎*-a → ‎*trāvà (“fodder; grass”)

3. (rare) forms abstract nouns (later often concreted) from adjectives

   ‎Proto-Indo-European *weh₁ros (“true”) + ‎*-a → ‎*vě̀ra (“belief, faith”)

   ‎*rȗdъ (“red, rufous, russet”) + ‎*-a → ‎*rudà (“ore”)

4. (rare) forms collective nouns from nouns

   ‎*gȍspodь (“lord; master; host”) + ‎*-a → ‎*gospoda (“lords; masters; hosts”)

   ‎*čь̃rvь / *čь̑rvь (“larva”) + ‎*-a → ‎*čьrva (“larvas”)

5. (rare) forms nouns denoting animals from interjections

   ‎Proto-Indo-European *keh₂w-o-s + ‎*-a → ‎*kava (“jackdaw (Coloeus monedula)”)

*-a m

1. (rare) forms agent nouns from verbs

   ‎*běťi (“to run”) + ‎*-a → ‎*běga (“runner, escaper”)

   ‎*břuzgati (“to splash; to mumble, to mutter, to murmur”) + ‎*-a → ‎*břuzga (“nag, moaner, crybaby”)

• East Slavic:
  • Old East Slavic: -а (-a)
    • Old Ruthenian: -а (-a)
      • Belarusian: -а (-a)
      • Carpathian Rusyn: -а (-a)
      • Ukrainian: -а (-a)
    • Russian: -а (-a)
  • Old Novgorodian: -а (-a)
• South Slavic:
  • Old Church Slavonic:

    Old Cyrillic script: -а (-a)

    Glagolitic script: -ⰰ (-a)

  • Serbo-Croatian:

    Cyrillic script: -а

    Latin script: -a

  • Slovene: -a (tonal orthography)
• West Slavic:
  • Old Czech: -a
    • Czech: -a
  • Old Polish: -a
    • Polish: -a
    • Silesian: -a, -ŏ
  • Old Slovak: -a
    • Pannonian Rusyn: -а (-a)
    • Slovak: -a
  • Polabian: -ă
  • Pomeranian:
    • Kashubian: -a
    • Slovincian: -a
  • Sorbian:
    • Lower Sorbian: -a
    • Upper Sorbian: -a

Inherited from Proto-Balto-Slavic *-āˀ, from Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ n.

*-a

1. nominative/accusative/vocative plural of *-o

Inherited from Proto-Balto-Slavic *-ā, from Proto-Indo-European *-ead (thematic abl.sg. ending).

*-a

1. genitive singular of *-ъ
2. genitive singular of *-o