Cognate Set 2060 – Meaning: eye

IE-CoR reference form:
*glaz-
IE-CoR reference language:
Proto-Slavic
Ideophonic:
no
Parallel derivation:
no
Justification:
Russian glaz 'eye' has without any doubt a PS origin (*glazŭ '(small, round,) smooth stone' with a semantic development that has parallels in Slavic, cf. Russian expressive šary 'eyes' < 'ball(s)' or Polish expressive gały 'eyes' < 'ball(s)'). However, the further etymology is uncertain.
Found in clades:
Slavic
Revised by:
Lechosław Jocz, Matthew Scarborough
Found in 1 clade by 1 lexeme.
Language Lexeme Native script Phonetic Phonemic Notes
97   Russian glaz глаз ɡɫɑ̈s ɡlaz
References
  • Boryś, W.: 161-162
    PS *glazŭ 'small, smooth, spheric stone; peeble; amber, glass ball; bead'. There is no clear etymology. It is often assumed that the Slavic lexeme is a loanword from PG *glāza (c.f Old High German glas 'amber') which is derived from PIE *g̑ʰel- / gʰel- 'shine, glitter'.
  • Derksen, Rick: 163
    S.v. Proto-Slavic *glazъ (ESSJa VI 117-118): "Etymology unclear. If we accept that here the *z arose from *s as a result of Zupitza’s law (cf. Shevelov 1964: 147-148), it is possible to establish a connection with OHG glas ‘glass, amber’, MoE glare, etc. The correctness of the law is doubtful, however."
  • Trubačev, O. N.: 117-118
    PS *glazŭ is most probably *gl-a-zŭ, derived from PIE *g(h)el- 'something round, spherical; small stone'. There are many other disputable hypotheses.
  • Vasmer, Max: 1: 409-410
    Russian glaz is possibly related to CS gleznŭ, glezno 'malleolus' and further to Old Icelandic klakkr 'clod'. Other hypotheses (assuming a relationship to PS *gladŭkŭ 'smooth', *ględati 'see, look', to Old High German glas 'amber, glass' or a borrowing of its PG cognate) are inconvincing.
  • Černyh, Pavel: 1: 190
    The word is Common Slavic but there is no convincing Slavic etymology. It is not excluded that it is a loanword from Germanic, cf. Old High German glas 'amber'.
  • Šanskij, N. and Ivanov, V. and Šanskaâ, T.: 104
    Russian glaz 'eye' does not have any commonly accepted etymology. Most probably it is derived from the same root as Russian gladkij 'smooth'.