Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/pečalь

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

Abstract deverbial noun reflecting Pre-Slavic *pekělь, formed as *pekti (“to bake”) +‎ *-ělь. Underwent the same semantic shift burning → pain, burden → sadness, grief as Proto-Slavic *goře.

Noun

*pečalь f

burden
→ (by abstraction) sadness, emotional pain
Synonyms: *tǫga, *mǫka, *grustь
(by specialization) sorrow, grief, mourning
Synonyms: *gořestь, *skъrbь
(regional) hard work
→ (by metonymy) profit, reward

Inflection

Declension of *pečalь (i-stem)

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	*pečalь	*pečali	*pečali
Accusative	*pečalь	*pečali	*pečali
Genitive	*pečali	pečalьju, pečaľu^*	pečalьjь, pečali^*
Locative	*pečali	pečalьju, pečaľu^*	*pečalьxъ
Dative	*pečali	*pečalьma	*pečalьmъ
Instrumental	pečalьjǫ, pečaľǫ^*	*pečalьma	*pečalьmi
Vocative	*pečali	*pečali	*pečali

^* 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

*pečenь (“baking, dish cooked in oven”)
*peťь (“oven”)
*pečьka (“cooker”)
*pьklo (“scorching heat”)
*pečivo (“cake, cookie, bread”)
*peka (“roast, barbecue”)
*pečatь (“seal, imprint”)
*potъ (“sweat”)

Derived terms

*opečalěnъ (“mourned, grieved”)
*pečalьnъ (“sorrowful, traumatic, tragic”)
*pečalьba (“gain, profit”)
*pečaliti (“to profit, to gain a reward”)

Descendants

East Slavic:
- Old East Slavic: печаль (pečalĭ)
  - Belarusian: печа́ль (pječálʹ)
  - Russian: печа́ль (pečálʹ)
  - Ukrainian: печа́ль (pečálʹ)
South Slavic:
- Old Church Slavonic: печаль (pečalĭ)
- Bulgarian: печа́л (pečál, “sorrow, sadness”), пе́чал (péčal, “gain, profit”)
- Macedonian: печал (pečal)
- Serbo-Croatian:
  Cyrillic: печаљ (obsolete)
  Latin: pečalj (obsolete)
- Slovene: реčа̑l