Prefixes

[Daniel Collins]

The nominal prefixes "pa" and "su" come from the same roots as the verbal
prefixes "po" and "s," respectively.  "Pa" and "su" originally had long
vowels (lengthened grade) where "po" and "s" had short vowels.  Similarly
"pra" in "prashchur" or "praiazyk" is related to "pro."  The lengthening is
due to ablaut or vowel gradation, the same phenomenon that accounts for
relationships like nesti--nosit'--vynashivat' or English sing, sang, sung.
        Both pa/po and su/s go back beyond Proto-Slavic to
Proto-Indo-European (see Vasmer's etymological dictionary for the details
and for the cognates in other Slavic languages).  The meaning of the
nominal prefixes is related to that of the verbal ones.
        Of the words that you cite, please note that pastish has an
entirely different origin; it is borrowed from French pastiche (which does
not reflect the prefix in question).

>Hi,
>
>I seek for etymological roots of prefixes "pa-" and "su-".
>
>For example:
>
>Syn - pasynok
>Doch' (dscher') - padcherica
>Stih - pastish
>Zvuk - pazvuk
>Truba - patrubok
>etc.
>
>It has an apparent meaning of "almost" or "taking place of."
>The only thing that comes to my mind is French "pas," but French influence
>appears to be much much younger.
>
>Examples for "su-"
>
>Mrak - sumerki
>Glina - suglinok
>Tolkat' - sutoloka
>(?) Metat'sya, metushit'sya - sumatoha
>Krov' - sukrovica
>
>The prefixes are present in Ukrainian as well (I can think of "su-", at
>least). I'd be delighted to know about their variants in other Slavic
>languages. And, as said before, their etymology.
>
>                                        Thanks in advance,
>                                                        Alexey
>
>
>                                                                  _
>                                                                A.F.
>
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Daniel E. Collins, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Literatures
The Ohio State University
232 Cunz Hall
Columbus, Ohio 43210

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