Old Russian words for linguist and linguistics

[Dr Y. Vassilkov]

First, "yazykoved" is not "Old Russian". In Old Russia there were no
linguists, and no term for them. The term was coined by scholars in the 19th
century as a Russian equivalent to Western "linguist". The first element
"yazyk" has nothing in common with *yajna* and means simply "tongue" (in
both meanings).
    The second element is really a little archaic, it is the verbal root
which is not used in modern everyday landuage: *vedat'", old Russian
*vedati - 'to know'. The verb goes back to the same common Indo-European
root as Sanskrit *Veda*.
    In the scholarly term "yazykoznanije" the first element is the same:
*yazyk* 'language', and the second one "znanije" is surely related to
Sanskrit jnAna, as well as to Greek *gnosis*. "Znanije" is the word of
ancient origin, but preserved in modern language, as many others.
    Old Russian disappeared, or, to be exact, turned into modern Russian.
Its closest relative, "Church Slavonic" is still used in religious service.
    Old Russian and even modern Russian preserve *many* words which are
close both in meaning and form to Sanskrit (as the words belonging to common
Indo-European heritage).
    All the best,
                                                                    Yaroslav
Vassilkov

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bhadraiah Mallampalli" <vaidix at HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK>
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 7:31 PM
Subject: Old Russian words for linguist and linguistics


> Kindly check this URL which discusses the synonyms for the word linguist
in
> different languages.
>
> http://www.linguistlist.org/issues/5/5-1192.html
>
> The old Russian word "Yazykoved" might interest the group. Any luck with
> trying "yajna-kovid" or "yajnik-o-vedet"?
>
> Also says the word for linguistics is "jazykoznanie". Is this 'yajnic
> jnani"? :-)
>
> Where is old Russian spoken, and how different it is from new? Any other
> coincidence other than linguist?
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Regards
> Bhadraiah
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