Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/lęčь

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

Instrumental/resultant noun from *lękťi (“to bend and stretch”) +‎ *-ь, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)lenkʷ- or *(s)lenk- (“to curve, to wind”). Cognate with dialectal Lithuanian leñkis (“lock, sluice”), Old Norse lengja (“strap”). Further akin to Latvian lìks (“crooked”), possibly Latin laqueus (“noose”).

Noun

*lę̑čь f

running knot, lace, snare
Synonyms: *primъka, *petьlъ, *sidlo

Alternative forms

*lęča (jā-stem)

Declension

Declension of *lęčь (i-stem)
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*lęčь	*lęči	*lęči
genitive	*lęči	lęčьju, lęču^*	lęčьjь, lęči^*
dative	*lęči	*lęčьma	*lęčьmъ
accusative	*lęčь	*lęči	*lęči
instrumental	lęčьjǫ, lęčǫ^*	*lęčьma	*lęčьmi
locative	*lęči	lęčьju, lęču^*	*lęčьxъ
vocative	*lęči	*lęči	*lęči

^* 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).

Derived terms

*lęčiti (“to crook, to creep, to tremble”)
*lęčьka, *lęčica (diminutive)
*lęčizna, *lęčivo (“binding, noose”)

Related terms

*lękъ, *lękavъ (“bent, crooked”)
*lǫkъ (“bow”)
*lǫka (“meadow, lowland”)
*lęxъ (“Lechian”) (possibly)

Descendants

South Slavic:
- >? Bulgarian: ле́чие (léčie, “thread of life”) (poetic, dialectal; attested in Christmas carols)
- ⇒ Serbo-Croatian: (16 cent.)
  Cyrillic script: ле́ча, ле́чка (“snare, loop”)
  
  Latin script: leča (obsolete, attested in the proverb da ne stave leču)
- ⇒ Slovene: lę̑čka (“sling”) (dialectal)
West Slavic:
- Old Czech: leč
  - Czech: léč
- >? Old Polish: łącz (“true sedge”)
  - Polish: łącz
- Polabian: ląč
- Sorbian:
  - ⇒ Upper Sorbian: lečica, lečizna, lečwo