Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/azь

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

*аzь (Leuciscus idus)

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *āˀźis (“goat”), cognate with Lithuanian ožỹs (“billy-goat”), Latvian āzis (“buck”). Further akin to Proto-Indo-Iranian *Haȷ́ás (“goat”). Probably from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- or *h₂eyǵ- (“goat”) (whence Ancient Greek αἴξ (aíx, “goat”)).

For the semantic shift in Slavic, compare Proto-Slavic *byčьkъ (“roach”) from Proto-Slavic *bykъ (“bull”) or German Ziege (“sabrefish”) from primary meaning goat. The original meaning is preserved in the derivative *azьno (“goat skin”).

Noun

*azь m

billy goat → Leuciscus (genus of fish)

Declension

Declension of *azь (i-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*azь	*azi	azьje, aže^*
genitive	*azi	azьju, ažu^*	azьjь, azi^*
dative	*azi	*azьma	*azьmъ
accusative	*azь	*azi	*azi
instrumental	*azьmь	*azьma	*azьmi
locative	*azi	azьju, ažu^*	*azьxъ
vocative	*azi	*azi	azьje, aže^*

^* 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

*azica f
*azъkъ / *azьkъ (“common dace”)
*azьno (“goat skin”)

Descendants

East Slavic:
- Belarusian: язь (jazʹ)
- Russian: язь (jazʹ)
- Ukrainian: язь m (jazʹ), я́зя f (jázja)
South Slavic:
- Serbo-Croatian:
  Cyrillic script: jа̑з
  
  Latin script: jȃz
- Slovene: jȇz?
West Slavic:
- Czech: jes
- Polish: jaź m, jazica f
- Sorbian:
  - Lower Sorbian: jaz
  - Upper Sorbian: jaz m, jazyca f