Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/kobь
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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
Uncertain:
- Traditionally compared with Old Norse happ (“hap, chance, good luck”), Old Irish cob (“victory”) (per Pedersen, Berneker, favoured by Vasmer), presumably from Proto-Indo-European *kob- (“good fortune, prophecy”). Phonetically problematic, as such a reconstruction is expected to yield Slavic **kabь (by Winter's law).
- Some Balto-Slavists (Jagić, Trubačev, Toporov) alternatively relate it to Lithuanian kabė́ti (“to hang”), kabė̃ (“staples”), according to some interpretations (e.g. Meillet) from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kеbʰ- (“to hook, to cling”). If correct, then possibly akin to Proto-Slavic *skoba (“shackle”), Russian ко́бень (kóbenʹ, “hook”).
- Per Sławski (accepted by BER), of expressive origin related to Proto-Slavic *kobьcь (“bird of prey”), perhaps from *kabʰ- (“to snatch, to seize”).
Noun
*kobь f
- fate, doom
- omen, divination
- Synonym: *znamenьje
Alternative forms
- *koba (ā-stem)
Declension
Declension of *kobь (i-stem)
| singular | dual | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | *kobь | *kobi | *kobi |
| genitive | *kobi | *kobьju, *kobľu* | *kobьjь, *kobi* |
| dative | *kobi | *kobьma | *kobьmъ |
| accusative | *kobь | *kobi | *kobi |
| instrumental | *kobьjǫ, *kobľǫ* | *kobьma | *kobьmi |
| locative | *kobi | *kobьju, *kobľu* | *kobьxъ |
| vocative | *kobi | *kobi | *kobi |
* The second form occurs in languages that contract early across /j/ (e.g. Czech), while the first form occurs in languages that do not (e.g. Russian).
Derived terms
- *kobiti (“to divinate”)
- *prokoba (“jinx, ill fate”), *zъlokoba (“bad omen”)
- *kobьnъ (relative adjective)
Descendants
- East Slavic:
- South Slavic:
- West Slavic:
Further reading
- Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “кобь”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
- Georgiev, Vladimir I., editor (1979), “коба”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 2 (и – крепя̀), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Pubg. House, page 499
- “kabėti”, in Lietuvių kalbos etimologinio žodyno duomenų bazė [Lithuanian etymological dictionary database], 2007–2012