Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/dъbati

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.

Uncertain. One hypothesis connects it to Latin dubāre (“to doubt”), Latin dubius (“dubious”), ultimately a derivative from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ (“two”). Along a similar line of logic is a potential connection to Proto-Slavic *dybati (“to meander, to get atop”), possibly a cognate with Proto-Germanic *tuppijô (“to be atop”), from Proto-Indo-European *dwe(m)b- (“top”).

Another option is a borrowing from Proto-Indo-Iranian^[1] source, probably Scythian.

A third hypothesis is a possible metathesis of Proto-Slavic *bъděti (“to be awake”), under the influence of an earlier negated form *nebъda > *nedъba.

Some scholars also relate it to *deběti (“to stalk”) +‎ *-ati, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰebʰ-, which would require an earlier proto-form *dьbati. The expected grade in this case is e-grade or ē-grade, however, 0-grade is not impossible, either.

*dъbati impf

1. to look after, to account

• *deběti (“to stalk”)
• *debnǫti (“to prowl”)
• *dybati (“to meander”)

• East Slavic:
  • Belarusian: дбаць (dbacʹ)
  • Russian: дбать (dbatʹ)
  • Ukrainian: дба́ти (dbáty)
• West Slavic:
  • Old Czech: dbáti
    • Czech: dbát
  • Polish: dbać
  • Slovak: dbať
  • Kashubian: dbac
  • Sorbian:
    • Upper Sorbian: dbać
    • Lower Sorbian: dźbaś

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “дбать”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1978), “*dъbаti”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological dictionary of Slavic languages] (in Russian), numbers 5 (*dělo – *dьržьlь), Moscow: Nauka, page 172