<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The paper aims to explain the origin of the long <italic>é</italic> in the Slovak word <italic>dcéra</italic> ‘daughter’, which is the only word of the original lexical layer that has a long <italic>é</italic> in its root. Its length is difficult to explain by comparative Slavic accentology since relevant languages generally show a short vowel in this position. Another peculiarity of this word is the fact that <italic>é</italic> did not undergo the Central Slovak diphthongization that otherwise regularly occurs after <italic>c</italic>. The author offers a solution in the cultural influence of Czech, which Slovaks had been using as a written language for centuries. It is argued that the original Common Slavic word *<italic>dъťi</italic> had been lost in Slovak and replaced by a word *<italic>děvъka</italic>, while <italic>dcera</italic> was introduced into the Slovak vernacular through Czech religious texts. The initial Czech graphic cluster <italic>dc</italic>- had been realized as a geminated [<italic>cː</italic>] by Slovak priests, the pronunciation of which was interpreted as compensatory lengthening of the following vowel, and this length was subsequently phonologized. The lengthening of <italic>e</italic> and consequent phonologization could be linked to the spread of Czech printed books, so it must be posterior to the Central Slovak diphthongization.</p>
</abstract>

The paper aims to explain the origin of the long é in the Slovak word dcéra ‘daughter’, which is the only word of the original lexical layer that has a long é in its root. Its length is difficult to explain by comparative Slavic accentology since relevant languages generally show a short vowel in this position. Another peculiarity of this word is the fact that é did not undergo the Central Slovak diphthongization that otherwise regularly occurs after c. The author offers a solution in the cultural influence of Czech, which Slovaks had been using as a written language for centuries. It is argued that the original Common Slavic word *dъťi had been lost in Slovak and replaced by a word *děvъka, while dcera was introduced into the Slovak vernacular through Czech religious texts. The initial Czech graphic cluster dc- had been realized as a geminated [cː] by Slovak priests, the pronunciation of which was interpreted as compensatory lengthening of the following vowel, and this length was subsequently phonologized. The lengthening of e and consequent phonologization could be linked to the spread of Czech printed books, so it must be posterior to the Central Slovak diphthongization.

Why does the word dcéra (‘daughter’) contain a long é?

Journal of Linguistics/Jazykovedný casopis

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Why does the word dcéra (\u2018daughter\u2019) contain a long é?"}

The paper aims to explain the origin of the long é in the Slovak word dcéra ‘daughter’, which is the only word of the original lexical layer that has a long é...

Why does the word dcéra (‘daughter’) contain a long é?

Published Online: Sep 27, 2021

Page range: 298 - 307

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jazcas-2021-0029

Keywords
Slovak language, Czech language, Slovak historical phonology

© 2021 Siniša Habijanec, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Why does the word dcéra (‘daughter’) contain a long é?

Published Online: Sep 27, 2021

Page range: 298 - 307

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jazcas-2021-0029

KeywordsSlovak language, Czech language, Slovak historical phonology

© 2021 Siniša Habijanec, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Slovak language, Czech language, Slovak historical phonology