On the Etymology of the Proto-Slavic *tělo “body”

Abstract

The author puts forward a new hypothesis on the origin of the Proto-Slavic word *tělo “body”, which, to date, does not have a commonly accepted etymology. The researcher draws a connection with the verb *tьlěti “putrefy”. The word *trupъ “corpse; torso”, derived from the verb *trup- “decay”, is presented as a semantic parallel. The meaning “torso” in this case has most likely developed from “corpse”. Thus, it is believed that *tělo might have originally meant a dead, putrefying body. The author rejects a supposition about a connection between *tьlěti and *tьlo “floor, foundation”, which can be found in several studies, and goes back to a hypothesis, according to which *tьlěti is related to the Lithuanian verbs tìlti “go silent, quieten” and tylė́ti “keep silent”. It is suggested that *tьlěti with its Baltic cognates originated from the root verb *tl̥-, from which *-ē-durative forms were formed. The latter replaced the original root variant over time. The disappearance of syllabic liquids changed the structure of ablaut in roots similar to *tl̥-: the alternation type CeR / CoR / CR̥ was changed to CeR / CoR / CiR ~ CuR. As a result, these roots were included in the ablative schemes typical of the roots with the old *i and the alternation CiC- // *Cei̯C- // *Coi̯C-. As a particular example, the word *děra “hole” was formed form *derti (*dьrǫ) / *dьrati (*derǫ) “to tear”. The vocalism of the root of *tělo is seen as a result of a similar secondary ablaut. Additionally, the author looks at the possible derivation of *tělo from the old root noun with its characteristic long vocalism, which is believed to be less probable.