Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/xvěti

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

Proposed etymologies:

• From Proto-Indo-European *keh₁w- (“to wobble”) or *keh₂w- (“to waver, to pulsate”) (in 0-grade) + *-ěti, akin to Proto-Slavic *kyvati (“to nod”). Initial *x- in this case due to PIE *kh-. Discarded as unconvincing by Trubachev (ESSJa).
• From Proto-Indo-European *(s)weh₁- (“to sway”), akin to Lithuanian svajóti (“to dream, to hallucinate”), Sanskrit स्वजते (svájate, “to embrace”), Dutch Low Saxon sweuen (“to sway in the wind”) (further related to English sway). Initial *xv- in this case from an earlier *sv-.
• Possibly of expressive or onomatopoeic origin. Compare Proto-Slavic *svistati (“to whistle”) → *xvistati (“to batter, to thrash”).

Verb

*xvěti impf

1. to shake, to tremble
2. (reflexive) (+ *sę) to oscillate, to wobble (for inanimate objects); to hesitate (for people)

   Synonym: *kolěbati (sę)

Alternative forms

• *xvějati (intensive)

Conjugation

Conjugation of *xvěti, *xvě, *xvějetь (impf., -ě-, s-aorist, accent paradigm ?)

Verbal noun	Infinitive	Supine	L-participle
*xvěnьje	*xvěti	*xvětъ	*xvělъ

	Participles
Tense	Past	Present
Passive	*xvěnъ	*xvějemъ
Active	*xvěvъ	*xvěję

	Aorist			Present
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*xvěxъ	*xvě	*xvě	*xvějǫ	*xvěješi	*xvějetь
Dual	*xvěxově	*xvěsta	*xvěste	*xvějevě	*xvějeta	*xvějete
Plural	*xvěxomъ	*xvěste	*xvěšę	*xvějemъ	*xvějete	*xvějǫtь
	Imperfect			Imperative
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*xvěaxъ	*xvěaše	*xvěaše	—	*xvěji	*xvěji
Dual	*xvěaxově	*xvěašeta	*xvěašete	*xvějivě	*xvějita	—
Plural	*xvěaxomъ	*xvěašete	*xvěaxǫ	*xvějimъ	*xvějite	—

Related terms

• *xvučiti (“to blow, to whiz”) (possibly)
• *kavyka (“peg, hook”) (possibly)

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Old East Slavic: хвѣяти ся (xvějati sja)
  • Belarusian: хве́ицьца (xvjéicʹca)
  • Russian: хве́яться (xvéjatʹsja)
  • Ukrainian: хві́ятися (xvíjatysja)
• South Slavic:
  • Old Church Slavonic: хвѣꙗти сѧ (xvějati sę)
• West Slavic:
  • Czech: chvěti, chvíti
  • Polish: chwiać, chwiejać
  • Slovak: сhvieť
  • Sorbian:
    • Lower Sorbian: chwjaś
    • Upper Sorbian: chwjeć

Further reading

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “хвеяться”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1981), “*xvějati (sę)”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological dictionary of Slavic languages] (in Russian), numbers 8 (*xa – *jьvьlga), Moscow: Nauka, page 124
• “svajoti”, in Lietuvių kalbos etimologinio žodyno duomenų bazė [Lithuanian etymological dictionary database], 2007–2012