Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/gajь

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

Etymology 1

Of onomatopoeic nature, from the call *ga! +‎ *-jь. Related to Proto-Slavic *gajati (“to caw, to croak”), from Proto-Indo-European *g⁽ʷ⁾eH-. Akin to Lithuanian gáida (“melody”).

Noun

*gajь m

1. squeak (high-pitch call)

Alternative forms

• *gaja f

Declension

Derived terms

• *gajьno (“gaggle, flock of birds”)
• *gajьvornь/*gavornъ (“raven, corbie”)
• *gakati (“to croak”)
• *gavati (“to bark, to cause commotion”)

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Russian: гай m (gaj), га́я f (gája) (dialectal)
  • Ukrainian: гай (haj) (dialectal)
    • ⇒ Ukrainian: гай-гай (haj-haj) (interjection)
    • ⇒ Ukrainian: гаївка (hajivka, “mayfly”)
• West Slavic:
  • Czech: haj (colloquial interjection)
  • Slovak: haj (dialectal interjection)

Further reading

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “гай”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1979), “*gajь II”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological dictionary of Slavic languages] (in Russian), numbers 6 (*e – *golva), Moscow: Nauka, page 86
• гаївка in Горох.ua (Етимологія)

Etymology 2

Per Vasmer and Trubachev, most likely from a long-grade ablaut of *gojiti (“to nurture, heal”) +‎ *-ъ, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- (“to live”). Perhaps originally meaning thicket or protected, safe spot. Berneker alternatively proposes a derivation from Proto-Slavic *gati (“to pass, to go”), presumably from an earlier meaning place where one can pass through.

Noun

*gãjь m

1. grove

   Synonyms: *oršča, *gǫstakъ

Declension

Derived terms

• *gajiti (“to nourish, to bring up, to feed, to supply, to secure, to protect”)
  • Czech: hájit
• *zagajь, *gajьna (“thicket”)
• *gajьka (“nut, thread”) (possibly)

Related terms

• *gojiti (“to feed, to become obese”)
• *gojьnъ (“fat, saturated”)
• *žiti (“to live”)
• *živъ (“alive”)

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Old East Slavic: гаи (gai)
    • Belarusian: гай (haj)
    • Russian: гай (gaj)
    • Ukrainian: гай (haj)
• South Slavic:
  • Serbo-Croatian:

    Cyrillic script: га̑ј

    Latin script: gȃj

  • Slovene: gāj (tonal orthography)
• West Slavic:
  • Old Czech: háj
    • Czech: háj
  • Kashubian: gôj
  • Polish: gaj
  • Slovak: háj

• Non-Slavic:
  • → Lithuanian: gõjus

Further reading

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “гай”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1979), “*gajь I”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological dictionary of Slavic languages] (in Russian), numbers 6 (*e – *golva), Moscow: Nauka, page 85
• “gojus”, in Lietuvių kalbos etimologinio žodyno duomenų bazė [Lithuanian etymological dictionary database], 2007–2012

References