History of the Russian verb 'to be'

[Aimee Roebuck]

My Russian colleague has asked me to post a question to the list:

Some background:  My colleague knows that the verb áûòü 'to be' doesn't
exist in Russian in the present tense, except for the form åñòü/'est"'
(According to Ozhegov), which still exists in the third person in certain
usages in Russian (Ó ìåíÿ åñòü.../U menja est', Áîã åñòü/Bog est').   She
knows, however, from Russian language history, that it did exist earlier in
the present tense forms åñìü/'esm''' and åñè/esi.
 The questions that interest my colleague (and me, by association)
are:
1)  What kinds of suggestions or theories exist to explain why this present
tense form of 'to be', except for the form åñòü/'est"', disappeared from
the Russian language?
2)  Approximately when did the forms of 'to be' (except for the form
åñòü/'est"'), disappear?
3)  In which manuscripts are the forms åñìü/'esm''' and åñè/esi (and
others) evident?  and which manuscripts show their transition from common
usage to their absence?
4)  What theories are there to explain why the Russian language took a
different path of development from other Slavic languages concerning this
verb 'to be' in the present  tense?

Any suggestions or advice on how to find the answers to these questions
would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
Aimee Roebuck

Aimee Roebuck
English/Russian Language Instructor
TechTrans International, Inc. at JSC/NASA
2101 Nasa Road 1
Houston, Texas  77058
e-mail:  aroebuck at ems.jsc.nasa.gov
phone:  281/483-0774
fax:  281/483-4050

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                http://members.home.net/lists/seelangs/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------