Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/zajęcь

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 an earlier *zajękъ (still reflected in Bulgarian and Macedonian), via progressive palatalization. Possibly inherited from Proto-Balto-Slavic *źṓˀjinkas,^[1] cognate^[2] with dial. Lithuanian zuĩkis < *zuojįkas (however, not Latvian zaķis, which looks like a Slavic borrowing). Further origin uncertain:

Mladenov, Vasmer, Snoj: Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰey-, *ǵʰeh₂y- (“to dash, to hurtle, to hop”), akin to Lithuanian žaĩsti (“to play around”) and Old Armenian ձի (ji, “horse”), Proto-Indo-Iranian *ȷ́ʰáyas (< Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰéyos). From the same root may also be Proto-Germanic *gaits (“goat”), Latin haedus (“buck”).
Löwenthal: From Proto-Indo-European *ǵeh₂- (“to nourish, earth”) whence Ancient Greek γῆ (gê, “Earth”) (possibly Ancient Greek γᾰ́λᾰ (gắlă)). Dismissed by Vasmer.
From a substrate language, if the Baltic cognates and their irregularities are to be taken seriously. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Shares ending with Proto-Slavic *měsęcь (“month”), *koręcь (“root”), probably resultant from a k-extension over an older n-stem^[3]. Further attested in animal names: e.g. Bulgarian пуяк ~ пуек (pujak ~ puek, “male fowl”), суяк ~ суек (sujak ~ suek, “ground squirrel”), dial. козяк ~ козек (kozjak ~ kozek, “buck”); and in diminutives: e.g. Bulgarian ма́лечко (málečko), па́лечко (pálečko) < мале (male), пале (pale) + *-ęč-ьko.

Noun

*zàję̄cь m^[4]^[5]

rabbit, hare

Alternative forms

It is likely that such a form did not exist, where a morphological replacement of the suffix simply took place.

*zàjьcь

Declension

Declension of *zàję̄cь (soft o-stem, accent paradigm a)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*zàję̄cь	*zàję̄ca	*zàję̄ci
genitive	*zàję̄ca	*zàję̄cu	*zàję̄cь
dative	*zàję̄cu	*zàję̄cema	*zàję̄cēmъ
accusative	*zàję̄cь	*zàję̄ca	*zàję̄cę̇
instrumental	zàję̄cьmь, zàję̄cemь^*	*zàję̄cema	*zàję̄cī
locative	*zàję̄ci	*zàję̄cu	*zàję̄cīxъ
vocative	*zàję̄če	*zàję̄ca	*zàję̄ci

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

Derived terms

adjectives

nouns

*zajęčařь

Related terms