Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/-stъ

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. May reflect:

• Fossilized 0-grade of the root Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stay, to stand”), effectively meaning in the state of X. Similar semantic development of the PIE root is found in Irish tá (“to be, to have been”) (present tense copula);
• From Proto-Indo-European *-st-o-, similar to Proto-Slavic *-skъ;
• From dissimilation of Proto-Indo-European *-tt-/*-d⁽ʰ⁾t- > Proto-Slavic *-st- or from Proto-Indo-European *-ḱt- > Proto-Slavic *-st-. Compare Proto-Slavic *tьstь (“father-in-law”).

Cognate with Lithuanian -stas, -štas (e.g. Lithuanian áukštas (“high”), karštas (“hot”)), Latvian -sts (e.g. Latvian mīksts (“soft”)). Perhaps related to the sta-present in Baltic.

Suffix 1

*-stъ

1. Forms adjectives related to distribution and density:

   → *gǫstъ (“dense”)

   → *čęstъ (“frequent”)

   → *pustъ (“deserted, barren”)

   *xoliti (“to make spacious”) → *xolstъ (“idle”)

2. Forms adjectives depicting a state or a feature:

   *pro (“through”) → *prostъ (“simple”)

Declension

Indefinite declension of *-stъ (hard)

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*-stъ	*-sta	*-sto
genitive	*-sta	*-sty	*-sta
dative	*-stu	*-stě	*-stu
accusative	*-stъ	*-stǫ	*-sto
instrumental	*-stomь	*-stojǫ	*-stomь
locative	*-stě	*-stě	*-stě
vocative	*-ste	*-sto	*-sto
dual	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*-sta	*-stě	*-stě
genitive	*-stu	*-stu	*-stu
dative	*-stoma	*-stama	*-stoma
accusative	*-sta	*-stě	*-stě
instrumental	*-stoma	*-stama	*-stoma
locative	*-stu	*-stu	*-stu
vocative	*-sta	*-stě	*-stě
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*-sti	*-sty	*-sta
genitive	*-stъ	*-stъ	*-stъ
dative	*-stomъ	*-stamъ	*-stomъ
accusative	*-sty	*-sty	*-sta
instrumental	*-sty	*-stami	*-sty
locative	*-stěxъ	*-staxъ	*-stěxъ
vocative	*-sti	*-sty	*-sta

Definite declension of *-stъ (hard)

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*-stъjь	*-staja	*-stoje
genitive	*-stajego	*-styję̇	*-stajego
dative	*-stujemu	*-stěji	*-stujemu
accusative	*-stъjь	*-stǫjǫ	*-stoje
instrumental	*-styjimь	*-stǫjǫ	*-styjimь
locative	*-stějemь	*-stěji	*-stějemь
vocative	*-stъjь	*-staja	*-stoje
dual	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*-staja	*-stěji	*-stěji
genitive	*-stuju	*-stuju	*-stuju
dative	*-styjima	*-styjima	*-styjima
accusative	*-staja	*-stěji	*-stěji
instrumental	*-styjima	*-styjima	*-styjima
locative	*-stuju	*-stuju	*-stuju
vocative	*-staja	*-stěji	*-stěji
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*-stiji	*-styję̇	*-staja
genitive	*-stъjixъ	*-stъjixъ	*-stъjixъ
dative	*-styjimъ	*-styjimъ	*-styjimъ
accusative	*-styję̇	*-styję̇	*-staja
instrumental	*-styjimi	*-styjimi	*-styjimi
locative	*-styjixъ	*-styjixъ	*-styjixъ
vocative	*-stiji	*-styję̇	*-staja

Suffix 2

*-stъ m

1. Forms nouns depicting objects or instruments:

   *perti (“to press”) (present stem *pьr-) → *pьrstъ (“finger”)

2. Forms nouns depicting states or measures:

   *orsti (“to grow”) → *orstъ, *rъstъ (“height, stature”)

Declension

Declension of *-stъ (hard o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*-stъ	*-sta	*-sti
genitive	*-sta	*-stu	*-stъ
dative	*-stu	*-stoma	*-stomъ
accusative	*-stъ	*-sta	*-sty
instrumental	*-stъmь, *-stomь*	*-stoma	*-sty
locative	*-stě	*-stu	*-stěxъ
vocative	*-ste	*-sta	*-sti

^* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.

Derived terms

Proto-Slavic terms suffixed with *-stъ