Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/Xъrsъ

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.

From earlier *Kъrsъ, nominalization of *kъrsъ (“shrunken, thin”).^[1][2] For alternation between *x and *k cf. Ukrainian хохо́л (xoxól) : Slovak kochol (from Proto-Slavic *xoxolъ from earlier *koxolъ), Russian хлопоты (xlopoty) : Polish kłopot, Kashubian kłopot : chłopot (from Proto-Slavic *klopotъ), also Polish cholebać : kolebać, chełzać : kiełzać.

For Slavic semantics compare Old Czech vetech, Polish wietek, wiotek (dialectal), Russian ве́тох (vétox), all meaning “waning moon”, from Proto-Slavic *vetъxъ (“old”).^[3]

For non-Slavic semantics compare Hittite (Arma, “god of the Moon”), from 𒌚 (arma-, “moon, month”), possibly from 𒅕𒈠𒀭 (erman-, “sickness; to decline”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁erm-o-s, from *h₁erm- (“ill, poor”). However other etymologies are proposed, as there is no sureness behind Khors' original function. The Iranian etymology of the theonym is proposed, probably from a descendant of Proto-Iranian *huHarxšaytah (“radiant Sun”), cf. Iranian Persian خورشید (xoršīd) or Ossetian хор (xor, “sun”). Mikhail Vasil'yev stated that the name could not have been borrowed from Middle Persian, but from Sarmatian or Alan peoples in the first millennium BC^[4] (so-called Iranian inversion). Some scholars who agree with Iranian etymology therefore usually interpret Khors as a solar deity.^[5]. However, scholars like Vasmer, Toporov and Beskov criticize this theory, as some phonetic and historic problems concerning this borrowing arise.

*Xъrsъ m^[2]

1. (Slavic mythology) Khors (Slavic god)

• East Slavic:
  • Old East Slavic: Хърсъ (Xŭrsŭ) (see there for further descendants)
• South Slavic:
  • ⇒ Old Bulgarian: Хръсъ (Hrǎs, proper noun)
  • ⇒ Bulgarian: Хърсово (Hǎrsovo, toponyms)
  • ⇒ Old Serbian: Хьрсь (proper noun)
    • ⇒ Serbian: Hrs (proper noun)
• West Slavic:
  • ⇒? Old Czech: Chorúš (proper noun)
  • ⇒ Old Polish: *Kars (proper noun), *Chars
    • ⇒ Old Polish: Karsy (toponym)

• Non-Slavic:
  • → German: Chors (learned)
  • → English: Khors, Hors, Xors (learned)
  • → French: Khors (learned)
  • → Japanese: ホルス (learned)

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “Хорс”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress