an addendum to the discussion of derivation of "slav"

[Michael Denner]

Dear SEELANGers,

I was recently reading Giles Fletcher's 1591 _Of the Russe Commonwealth_ and
came across the following, which reminded me of the recent discussion on the
list serve concerning the derivation of the word "slav" (the comments in
brackets are my own notes):

"Their [i.e., the Russians'] language is all one with the Slavonian
[Srpskohrvatski Jezik?], which is thought to have been derived from the
Russe tongue rather than the Russe from the Slavonian. For the people called
Slav are known to have had their beginning out of Sarmatia and to have
termed themselves of their conquest slava, that is, famous or glorious, of
the word "slava," which in the Russe and Slavonian tongue signifieth as much
as glory or fame. Though afterwards, being subdued and trod upon by divers
nations, the Italians their neighbors [G. F. must mean Venetians] have
turned the word to a contrary signification and term every servant or
peasant by the name of slavus, as did the Romans by the Geats and the
Syrians for the same reason. The Russe character is no other than the Greek
somewhat distorted." (p. 173, _Rude and Barbarous Kingdom_, ed. Berry,
Crummey).

The editors give the following footnote for this etymology: "Fletcher takes
this etymology from [Marcin] Cromer [the editors mean Kromer], De origine et
rebus gestis Polonorum [published first sometime in the middle of the 16th
century], p. 13: "Slauorum autem etymologiam, uel a Slouo, quod uerbum et
sermonem: uel a Slaua, quod famam siue gloriam genti significat, omnes
deriuant."

So precisely the same debate has been waged over the word/fame/slave issue
since, at least, the mid-1500s.

A humorous aside: My Microsoft Outlook spell check always flags the word
Slavist, and offers (thoughtfully) either Sadist or Slavish as my intended
word. I have yet to decide which to accept.

Michael A. Denner
Instructor, Russian Studies Department
Campus Unit 8361
Stetson University
DeLand, FL 32720
904.822.7265

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