Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/šьvьcь

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 *sjuwikas, *sjuwikis. Equivalent to *šiti (“to sew”) +‎ *-ьcь. Cognate with Lithuanian siuvìkas, siuvikis (“tailor”), Old Prussian schuwikis (“tailor”).

Noun

*šьvьcь m

1. (generally) seamster (person who sews)

   → tailor, dressmaker (seamster who makes clothing)

   Synonyms: *krojačь, *kravьcь

   → cobbler, shoemaker (seamster who makes footwear)

   Synonyms: *obuťařь, *postolařь

Alternative forms

• *šivačь, *šьvačь

Inflection

Declension of *šьvьcь (soft o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*šьvьcь	*šьvьca	*šьvьci
genitive	*šьvьca	*šьvьcu	*šьvьcь
dative	*šьvьcu	*šьvьcema	*šьvьcemъ
accusative	*šьvьcь	*šьvьca	*šьvьcę̇
instrumental	*šьvьcьmь, *šьvьcemь*	*šьvьcema	*šьvьci
locative	*šьvьci	*šьvьcu	*šьvьcixъ
vocative	*šьvьče	*šьvьca	*šьvьci

^* -ьmь in North Slavic, -emь in South Slavic.

Derived terms

• *šьvьkyni, *šьvaxa (“seamstress”) (feminine forms)

Related terms

• *šьvъ (“stitch”)
  • *šьvica (“embroidery”)
• *šьvajьka (“sewing tool”)
• *šidlo (“awl”)

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Old East Slavic: шьвьць (šĭvĭcĭ)
    • Belarusian: шаве́ц (šavjéc)
    • Russian: швец (švec)
    • Ukrainian: швець (švecʹ)
• South Slavic:
  • Serbo-Croatian:

    Cyrillic script: ша́вац

    Latin script: šávac

• West Slavic:
  • Old Czech: švec
    • Czech: švec
      • Bohemian (Chod dialect): ševc
  • Old Polish: szwiec
    • Polish: szewc
    • Silesian: szwiec
  • Pomeranian:
    • Kashubian: szewc
  • Slovak: švec
  • Sorbian:
    • Lower Sorbian: šejc
    • Upper Sorbian: šewc

Further reading

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