Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/sьrstь

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 *sьrxъ (“rustle, rough surface”) +‎ *-tь, continuing *ḱers- ("to pop out"), probably an s-extension of Proto-Indo-European *ḱer- (“to grow, to plait”). Almost cognate with (dated) Lithuanian šértis (“moulting, changing of fur”) and akin to Lithuanian šerys (“bristle”), Proto-Germanic *hērą (“hair”). Further related to Old Armenian սար (sar, “hilltop, mountain”), Middle Persian 𐭫𐭥𐭩𐭱𐭤 (sar, “head; top, summit”) and Proto-Germanic *hurną (“horn”), Ancient Greek κέρας (kéras, “horn”), Proto-Slavic *sьrna (“deer”) via h₂-extension.

Noun

*sь̑rstь f^[1]^[2]

fur, hair, wool (usually rough or stiff)
Synonyms: *volsъ, *vьlna

Antonym: *puxъ (“fluffy fur”)

Declension

Declension of *sь̑rstь (i-stem, accent paradigm c)
	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*sь̑rstь	*sь̑rsti	*sь̑rsti
genitive	*sьrstí	sьrstьjù, sьrsťu^*	*sьrstь̀jь
dative	*sь̑rsti	*sьrstьmà	*sь̑rstьmъ
accusative	*sь̑rstь	*sь̑rsti	*sь̑rsti
instrumental	*sьrstьjǫ́	*sьrstьmà	*sьrstьmì
locative	*sьrstí	sьrstьjù, sьrsťu^*	*sь̑rstьxъ
vocative	*sьrsti	*sь̑rsti	*sь̑rsti

^* 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).

Related terms

*sьrхъ (“rustle, rough surface”)
*sьrxъkъ (“rough, stiff”)
*sьrхavъ (“irritant”)

Descendants

East Slavic:
- Old East Slavic: сьрсть (sĭrstĭ), шьрсть (šĭrstĭ)
  - Belarusian: шэрсць (šerscʹ)
  - Russian: шерсть (šerstʹ), ше́ресть (šérestʹ)
  - Ukrainian: шерсть (šerstʹ)
South Slavic:
- Old Church Slavonic: сръсть (srŭstĭ) (Serbian rendition)
- Slovene: sȓst (tonal orthography) (dialectal)
West Slavic:
- Czech: srst
- Polish: sierść, szerść
- Slovak: srsť
- Sorbian:
  - Lower Sorbian: syršć
  - Upper Sorbian: seršć

References

^ Olander, Thomas (2001) “sьrstь”, in Common Slavic Accentological Word List‎^[1], Copenhagen: Editiones Olander: “f. c dyrehår, uld (PR 138)”
^ Snoj, Marko (2016) “sȓh”, in Slovenski etimološki slovar [Slovenian Etymology Dictionary] (in Slovene), 3rd edition, https://fran.si: “*sь̑rstь”

[1] Olander, Thomas (2001) “sьrstь”, in Common Slavic Accentological Word List‎^[1], Copenhagen: Editiones Olander: “f. c dyrehår, uld (PR 138)”

[2] Snoj, Marko (2016) “sȓh”, in Slovenski etimološki slovar [Slovenian Etymology Dictionary] (in Slovene), 3rd edition, https://fran.si: “*sь̑rstь”

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