Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/dъbati

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

Uncertain. One hypothesis connects it to Latin dubāre (“to doubt”), Latin dubius (“dubious”), ultimately a derivative from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ (“two”). Along a similar line of logic is a potential connection to Proto-Slavic *dybati (“to meander, to get atop”), possibly a cognate with Proto-Germanic *tuppijô (“to be atop”), from Proto-Indo-European *dwe(m)b- (“top”).

Another option is a borrowing from Proto-Indo-Iranian source, probably Scythian.

A third hypothesis is a possible metathesis of Proto-Slavic *bъděti (“to be awake”), under the influence of an earlier negated form *nebъda > *nedъba.

Some scholars also relate it to *deběti (“to stalk”) +‎ *-ati, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰebʰ-, which would require an earlier proto-form *dьbati. The expected grade in this case is e-grade or ē-grade, however, 0-grade is not impossible, either.

Verb

*dъbati impf

1. to look after, to account

Inflection

Conjugation of *dъbati, *dъba, *dъbajetь (impf., -a-, s-aorist, accent paradigm ?)

Verbal noun	Infinitive	Supine	L-participle
*dъbanьje	*dъbati	*dъbatъ	*dъbalъ

	Participles
Tense	Past	Present
Passive	*dъbanъ	*dъbajemъ
Active	*dъbavъ	*dъbaję

	Aorist			Present
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*dъbaxъ	*dъba	*dъba	*dъbajǫ	*dъbaješi	*dъbajetь
Dual	*dъbaxově	*dъbasta	*dъbaste	*dъbajevě	*dъbajeta	*dъbajete
Plural	*dъbaxomъ	*dъbaste	*dъbašę	*dъbajemъ	*dъbajete	*dъbajǫtь
	Imperfect			Imperative
Person	1st	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd
Singular	*dъbaaxъ	*dъbaaše	*dъbaaše	—	*dъbaji	*dъbaji
Dual	*dъbaaxově	*dъbaašeta	*dъbaašete	*dъbajivě	*dъbajita	—
Plural	*dъbaaxomъ	*dъbaašete	*dъbaaxǫ	*dъbajimъ	*dъbajite	—

Related terms

• *deběti (“to stalk”)
• *debnǫti (“to prowl”)
• *dybati (“to meander”)

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Belarusian: дбаць (dbacʹ)
  • Russian: дбать (dbatʹ)
  • Ukrainian: дба́ти (dbáty)
• West Slavic:
  • Old Czech: dbáti
    • Czech: dbát
  • Polish: dbać
  • Slovak: dbať
  • Kashubian: dbac
  • Sorbian:
    • Upper Sorbian: dbać
    • Lower Sorbian: dźbaś

Further reading

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “дбать”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1978), “*dъbаti”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological dictionary of Slavic languages] (in Russian), numbers 5 (*dělo – *dьržьlь), Moscow: Nauka, page 172