Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/-ьstvo

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

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *-istwa, from Proto-Indo-European *-twom. See also *-tvo.

Compare Sanskrit -त्व (-tva, “-ness, -hood”).

Suffix

*-ьstvo n

1. Deadjectival, forming nouns denoting a condition or state. Equivalent of English -hood, -ness.

   *bogatъ (“rich, wealth”) → *bogatьstvo (“wealth, fortune; richness”)

   *lǫkavъ (“evil, cunning”) → *lǫkavьstvo (“wickedness, cunningness”)

   *mъnogъ (“many”) → *mъnožьstvo (“multitude, crowd”)

2. Denominal, forming nouns denoting a performance or carrying of action. Equivalent of English -hood, -ness.

   *gospodь (“lord, master”) → *gospodьstvo (“power, rule, government”)

   *děva (“maiden, virgin”) → *děvьstvo (“virginity, purity”)

   *mǫžь (“man, husband”) → *mǫžьstvo (“masculinity, manhood”)

3. Deverbal, forming nouns denoting an action. Equivalent of English -hood, -ness.

   *dějati (“to do, act”) → *dějьstvo (“performance, operation”)

   *čuti (“to feel, perceive”) → *čujьstvo, *čuvьstvo (“feeling, emotion”)

Declension

Declension of *-ьstvo (hard o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*-ьstvo	*-ьstvě	*-ьstva
genitive	*-ьstva	*-ьstvu	*-ьstvъ
dative	*-ьstvu	*-ьstvoma	*-ьstvomъ
accusative	*-ьstvo	*-ьstvě	*-ьstva
instrumental	*-ьstvъmь, *-ьstvomь*	*-ьstvoma	*-ьstvy
locative	*-ьstvě	*-ьstvu	*-ьstvěxъ
vocative	*-ьstvo	*-ьstvě	*-ьstva

^* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.

Derived terms

Proto-Slavic terms suffixed with *-ьstvo

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Old East Slavic: -ьство (-ĭstvo)
    • Belarusian: -ства (-stva), -ство́ (-stvó)
    • Russian: -ство (-stvo)
    • Ukrainian: -ство (-stvo)
• South Slavic:
  • Old Church Slavonic:

    Cyrillic: -ьство (-ĭstvo)

    Glagolitic: ⱐⱄⱅⰲⱁ (ĭstvo)

  • Bulgarian: -ство (-stvo)
  • Macedonian: -ство (-stvo)
  • Serbo-Croatian:

    Cyrillic script: -ство

    Latin script: -stvo

  • Slovene: -stvo
• West Slavic:
  • Czech: -stvo, -ství
  • Old Polish: -stwo
    • Polish: -stwo
    • Silesian: -stwo
  • Slovak: -stvo
  • Pomeranian:
    • Kashubian: -stwo
    • Slovincian: -stwô
  • Sorbian:
    • Lower Sorbian: -stwo
    • Upper Sorbian: -stvo
• Borrowings:
  • → Yiddish: ־סטווע (-stve) (via Belarusian, Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian)

References

• Šekli, Matej (2012) “Besedotvorni pomeni samostalniških izpeljank v praslovanščini”, in Philological Studies‎^[1] (in Slovene), volume 10, number 1, Skopje, Perm, Ljubljana, Zagreb, pages 115–32