Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/bičati

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

Denominal from *bičь (“lash”) +‎ *-ěti. In modern descendants, inchoative variant in *-ovati is more widely attested.

Onomatopoeic semantics is attested as secondary meaning of Slovene bīčati (“to squeak, to tweet”), Bulgarian би́цам (bícam, “to make noise with one's cheeks”).

Verb

*bičati impf

1. to scourge, to jab

   Synonym: *šibati

Alternative forms

• *bičevati (inchoative)
• *bikati, *bicati (a-conj., possibly)
  • >? Bulgarian: би́цам (bícam, “to poke”)

Conjugation

Conjugation of *bičati, *biča, *bičitь (impf., -ě/i-, s-aorist, accent paradigm ?)

Verbal noun	Infinitive	Supine	L-participle
*bičanьje	*bičati	*bičatъ	*bičalъ

	Participles
Tense	Past	Present
Passive	*bičanъ	*bičimъ
Active	*bičavъ	*bičę

	Aorist			Present
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*bičaxъ	*biča	*biča	*bičǫ	*bičiši	*bičitь
Dual	*bičaxově	*bičasta	*bičaste	*bičivě	*bičita	*bičite
Plural	*bičaxomъ	*bičaste	*bičašę	*bičimъ	*bičite	*bičętь
	Imperfect			Imperative
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*bičaaxъ	*bičaaše	*bičaaše	—	*biči	*biči
Dual	*bičaaxově	*bičaašeta	*bičaašete	*bičivě	*bičita	—
Plural	*bičaaxomъ	*bičaašete	*bičaaxǫ	*bičimъ	*bičite	—

Conjugation of *bičati, *biča, *bičajetь (impf., -ě-, s-aorist, accent paradigm ?)

Verbal noun	Infinitive	Supine	L-participle
*bičanьje	*bičati	*bičatъ	*bičalъ

	Participles
Tense	Past	Present
Passive	*bičanъ	*bičajemъ
Active	*bičavъ	*bičaję

	Aorist			Present
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*bičaxъ	*biča	*biča	*bičajǫ	*bičaješi	*bičajetь
Dual	*bičaxově	*bičasta	*bičaste	*bičajevě	*bičajeta	*bičajete
Plural	*bičaxomъ	*bičaste	*bičašę	*bičajemъ	*bičajete	*bičajǫtь
	Imperfect			Imperative
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*bičaaxъ	*bičaaše	*bičaaše	—	*bičaji	*bičaji
Dual	*bičaaxově	*bičaašeta	*bičaašete	*bičajivě	*bičajita	—
Plural	*bičaaxomъ	*bičaašete	*bičaaxǫ	*bičajimъ	*bičajite	—

Related terms

• *biti (“to beat”)

Descendants

• South Slavic:
  • Bulgarian: би́ча (bíča, “to jab”) (dialectal, possibly)
  • Serbo-Croatian: (obsolete, superceded by бичевати, bičevati)

    Cyrillic script: би̏чати

    Latin script: bȉčati

  • Slovene: bīčati (“to scourge”)