Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/sьrbъ

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-Indo-European *ser- (“to watch over, protect”).

Indo-European cognates include Avestan 𐬵𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬌 (haraⁱti), 𐬵𐬀𐬎𐬭𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬌 (ha^uruuaⁱti, “he guards”), Proto-Scythian *harv- (> *xъrvatъ, *xъrvatinъ).

Noun

*sьrbъ m

1. ally
2. kinsperson (used as an endonym)

Declension

Declension of *sьrbъ (hard o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*sьrbъ	*sьrba	*sьrbi
genitive	*sьrba	*sьrbu	*sьrbъ
dative	*sьrbu	*sьrboma	*sьrbomъ
accusative	*sьrbъ	*sьrba	*sьrby
instrumental	*sьrbъmь, *sьrbomь*	*sьrboma	*sьrby
locative	*sьrbě	*sьrbu	*sьrběxъ
vocative	*sьrbe	*sьrba	*sьrbi

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

Derived terms

• *pasьrbъ
• *sьrbьskъ
• *sьrbьstvo
• *sьrbovati

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • ⇒ Ukrainian: присербитися (pryserbytysja, “to join”)
  • Russian: серб (serb)
• South Slavic:
  • Old Serbian: срьбинь, срьблинь
    • Serbo-Croatian:

      Cyrillic script: ср̏б, Ср̏бин, ср̏бљин

      Latin script: sȑb, Sȑbin, sȑbljin

• West Slavic:
  • Sorbian:
    • Upper Sorbian: serb (“Sorb, Kashub”)
    • Lower Sorbian: serb (“Sorb, Kashub”)
• Other:
  • Greek: Σέρβιοι (“East Slavic tribe”), Σέρβοι
  • Middle Latin: Zribia (“Meissen”)
  • Romanian: sârb

References

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