< Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic
Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/aščerъ
Proto-Slavic
Etymology
Perhaps from *a- (“no-”) + *ščerъ with second element possibly meaning:
- “agile, nimble” in reference to the reptilian locomotion of lizards. Akin to Proto-Slavic *skorъ (“speedy, quick”), possibly *xъrtъ (“hound”), *čьrtъ (“demon”). Further cognate with Lithuanian skėrỹs, skėrẽlis (“locust”), Latvian šķírgaîlis (“lizard”).
- “fur, pelt” in reference to the hairless skin of lizards. Akin to Proto-Slavic *skora (“hide”) and cognate with Albanian shqarr (“marten”). Similar meaning is attested in secondary Russian я́щер (jáščer, “rough leather”). A variation of this hypothesis (due to Potebnja) proposes that the prefix *a- is instead a clipping of unattested *aхъ (“prickly, scrubby”), cognate with Sanskrit आखु (ākhú, “mole”), possibly Ancient Greek σκίουρος (skíouros, “squirrel”).
In either case, possibly cognate with Sanskrit आश्चर्य (āścarya, “wonderful, marvelous”) (according to Machek).
Per Brückner, may alternatively reflect *askъ (“burrow, hollow”) + *-erъ in view of some rare forms with alternative ending (in *-elь, *-jurъ). Effectively meaning “burrow-dwelling animal” (even though lizards are not known to dig their lairs).
Noun
*aščerъ m[1]
- lizard, lacertian
- salamander
- (by extension) sort of skin inflammation (mycosis, scleroderma, aphtha, sore throat, etc.)
Alternative forms
- *jaščerъ
- *guščerъ (in South Slavic)
Inflection
Declension of *aščerъ (hard o-stem)
Singular | Dual | Plural | |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | *aščerъ | *aščera | *aščeri |
Accusative | *aščerъ | *aščera | *aščery |
Genitive | *aščera | *aščeru | *aščerъ |
Locative | *aščerě | *aščeru | *aščerěxъ |
Dative | *aščeru | *aščeroma | *aščeromъ |
Instrumental | *aščerъmь, *aščeromь* | *aščeroma | *aščery |
Vocative | *aščere | *aščera | *aščeri |
* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.
Related terms
- *aščerь, *aščelь (“amphibian”)
- *jaščurъ (“lizard, reptile”)
Descendants
- East Slavic:
- South Slavic:
- West Slavic:
Further reading
- Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), “я́щер”, in Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), transl. and suppl. by Oleg Trubachyov, Moscow: Progress
- Trubachyov, Oleg, editor (1974), “*aščerъ”, in Этимологический словарь славянских языков [Etymological Dictionary of Slavic Languages] (in Russian), issue 1 (*a – *besědьlivъ), Moscow: Nauka, page 81
- “skėrỹs”, in Lietuvių kalbos etimologinio žodyno duomenų bazė [Lithuanian etymological dictionary database], 2007–2012
References
- Derksen, Rick (2008), “*aščerъ; *aščerica”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 4), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 30: “m. o; f. jā ‘lizard’”
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