The ghost-word Old Church Slavonic sęštь/sęštъ ‘clever, wise’ – or: the long shadow of Franz Xaver (Ritter von) Miklosich (Miklošič)

Abstract

Abstract: In newer Indo-European linguistics literature, several times the adjective Old Church Slavonic (OCS) sęštь ‘klug, weise’ respectively sęštъ ‘sensible, wise’ is mentioned. It is usually reconstructed as Proto-Indo-European *sent-i̯o- and said to be related to Latin sentīre ‘to think, to feel, to mean’ etc. On the other hand, there are several publications, where one might expect to find that word, but does not find it. In (etymological) dictionaries of OCS the word is also missing. The aim of the chapter is to elucidate where and when the ghost-word OCS sęštь/sęštъ came into being by checking the relevant literature. The method thus consists in the traditional way of checking relevant literature for the occurrence of the incriminated word. It becomes clear that the ghost-word arose by a misreading. It seemingly appears as a hapax legomenon in the Codex Suprasliensis (early 11th cent.). Instead of the really attested OCS sǫštęję ‘being’ (part.pres.gen.sg.f.) Miklosich gives sęštęję ‘prudens’ in his first (1845) edition of the respective homily and in the first full edition of the Codex Suprasliensis (1851), because the original Greek text has the adjective φρονίμου ‘wise’ (gen.sg.m.). After 1851, Miklosich repeats the ghost-word in about half a dozen grammars and dictionaries, from where it was taken over into Indo-European linguistics literature and survived into the 21st century.