Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/slizь

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 1

Continues forms of the root Proto-Indo-European *sleydʰ- (“to slide, to lick”). Akin to Proto-Germanic *slīkaz (“slick, smooth”).

Noun

*slizь f

1. slime, mucus

   Synonyms: *liga, *sluzь

Declension

Declension of *slizь (i-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*slizь	*slizi	*slizi
genitive	*slizi	*slizьju, *sližu*	*slizьjь, *slizi*
dative	*slizi	*slizьma	*slizьmъ
accusative	*slizь	*slizi	*slizi
instrumental	*slizьjǫ, *sližǫ*	*slizьma	*slizьmi
locative	*slizi	*slizьju, *sližu*	*slizьxъ
vocative	*slizi	*slizi	*slizi

^* The second form occurs in languages that contract early across /j/ (e.g. Czech), while the first form occurs in languages that do not (e.g. Russian).

Related terms

• *liga (“saliva”)

Derived terms

• *slizеstъ (“slimy”)
• *slizostь (“slipperiness”)
• *slizъkъ (“slippery”)

Descendants

• East Slavic: слизь (slizĭ)
  • Belarusian: слізь (slizʹ)
  • Russian: слизь (slizʹ)
  • Ukrainian: слиз (slyz)
• South Slavic:
  • Old Church Slavonic: слизь (slizĭ)
  • Bulgarian: слиз (sliz, “saliva”)
  • Slovene: slȋz (tonal orthography)

Further reading

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “слизь”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Racheva, M., Todorov, T. A., editors (2002), “слиз”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 6 (пỳскам – словàр²), Sofia: Prof. Marin Drinov Pubg. House, →ISBN, page 876

Etymology 2

From an earlier *slizъ, of the same root as the i-stem. In Czech, this form has merged with the i-stem.

Noun

*slizь m

1. slug, snail

   Synonym: *pьlžь

2. type of fish

Declension

Declension of *slizь (soft o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*slizь	*sliza	*slizi
genitive	*sliza	*slizu	*slizь
dative	*slizu	*slizema	*slizemъ
accusative	*slizь	*sliza	*slizę̇
instrumental	*slizьmь, *slizemь*	*slizema	*slizi
locative	*slizi	*slizu	*slizixъ
vocative	*slizu	*sliza	*slizi

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

Descendants

• East Slavic:
  • Russian: слиз (sliz) (archaic)
    • Russian: слизень (slizenʹ), слизняк (sliznjak)
  • Ukrainian: слиж (slyž)
• West Slavic:
  • Czech: sliz
  • Polish: śliz
  • Slovak: slíž
  • Sorbian:
    • Lower Sorbian: sliž
    • Upper Sorbian: sliž

Further reading

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