Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/mana

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

Probably an n-extension of Proto-Indo-European *meh₂- (“to manipulate; great, good”), cognate with Latin mānēs (“ancestral spirits”), Latin manus (“hand, mound”). It is speculated that the initial meaning of the root is to make gestures → to manipulate (in Slavic) / to worship, pray (in Latin) → deception (in Slavic) / goodness (in Latin).

Despite the resemblance, a relation with Ancient Greek μανία (manía, “madness”) and Lithuanian mõnas (“apparition”) is doubtful. The later are usually derived from *men- (“to mind”).

Noun

*manà f

decoy, deception, trick
ghost

Alternative forms

*manь f (“fraud”)
- *manьja (“apparition”)
*manъ m (“trick”)

Inflection

Declension of *manà (hard a-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*manà	*maně	*many
genitive	*many	*manu	*manъ
dative	*maně	*manama	*manamъ
accusative	*manǫ	*maně	*many
instrumental	manojǫ, manǫ^**	*manama	*manami
locative	*maně	*manu	manasъ, manaxъ^*
vocative	*mano	*maně	*many

^* -asъ is the expected Balto-Slavic form but is found only in some Old Czech documents; -axъ is found everywhere else and is formed by analogy with other locative plurals in -xъ.
^** 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).

Derived terms

*majati (“to enchant”)
*maxati (“to make gesture”)
*maniti (“to deceive”)
*manǫti (“to trick”)
*manidlo (“trick”)
*maniteĺь (“trickster”)
*manьjakъ (“lazy person”)
*manьlivъ (“deceitful”)

Descendants

East Slavic:
- Old East Slavic: манъ m (manŭ), мана f (mana)
  - Belarusian: мана́ (maná), мань (manʹ)
  - Russian: мана́ (maná), ман (man)
  - Ukrainian: мана́ (maná)
West Slavic:
- Polish: man (dialectal)