Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/najь-

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. First element is most likely *na / *na- (“on, onto”). Wandl derives second element from *jь (definitive marker): he assumes that definitive marker could be mobile in early Proto-Slavic (*boľьjь (“bigger”) > *najьboľь (“the biggest”)), and later it was reanalyzed as part of the prefix; for mobility compare Old Lithuanian pa-jo-prasto (gen.sg.m) : Lithuanian pàprasto-jo (“simple”, gen.sg.m). He also argues that the suffix should be reconstructed as *naji- (*-ji being identical with nom.pl.m definitive) instead of *najь- (nom.sg.m definitive), because the vowel could be assimilated to *-i-, which is found more often in the pronominal declension, however, both reconstructions are possible[1].

    Other etymologies include: *jь (“this”) or hypothetical existence of emphasizing particle *i, a cognate of Avestan 𐬍 (ī), from Proto-Indo-European *íh₁, but there is no secure evidence for such particle in Slavic.

    Prefix

    *najь-

    1. used to form the superlative of adjectives and adverbs, taking the form of comparative as the basis; similar to most and -est

    Alternative reconstructions

    Derived terms

    Category Proto-Slavic terms prefixed with *najь- not found

    Descendants

    • East Slavic:
      • Old East Slavic: наи- (nai-)
    • South Slavic:
    • West Slavic:

    References

    1. ^ Wandl, Florian (2022), “Superlative Morphology from Syntax: Slavic Nai-/Naj- and Internal Definiteness Marking in Old Lithuanian”, in Transactions of the Philological Society, volume 120, number 1, →DOI, pages 103-127

    Further reading

    • Rejzek, Jiří (2007), “nej-”, in Český etymologický slovník (in Czech), Leda, page 424
    • Bańkowski, Andrzej (2000), “naj-”, in Etymologiczny słownik języka polskiego [Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language] (in Polish), volume 2, →ISBN, page 251
    • “naj-”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU (in Slovene), 2014–2026
    • Georgiev, Vladimir I., Duridanov, I. V., editors (1995), “най-¹”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 4 (мѝнго² – па̀дам), Sofia: Prof. Marin Drinov Pubg. House, →ISBN, page 476
    • Martynaŭ, V. U., Tsykhun, G. A., editors (1978–2017), “Най-”, in Этымалагічны слоўнік беларускай мовы [Etymological Dictionary of the Belarusian Language] (in Belarusian), Minsk: Belaruskaia navuka
    • Králik, Ľubor (2016), “naj-”, in Stručný etymologický slovník slovenčiny [Concise Etymological Dictionary of Slovak] (in Slovak), Bratislava: VEDA; JÚĽŠ SAV, →ISBN, page 379
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