6. Morphology: the OCS verbal system

6.1. Overview

The OCS verbal system comprised the following finite inflectional categories (Andersen 2006: 235–236):

And the following non-finite categories:

According to Andersen in Andersen & Olander (forthcoming), OCS has the following aspects, the first two of which are lexicalised:

a. viewpoint aspect (derivation): perfective vs. imperfective verbs

b. imperfective verbs of (loco)motion (derivation): determinate vs. indeterminate verbs

c. past tense: imperfect vs. aorist (inflection)

d. retrospective (auxiliated perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect) vs. (simple) present vs. imperfect/aorist vs. future (present prospective) (auxiliary construction)

e. prospective: auxiliated present (termed future) and past (future in the past) vs. actual (present) (auxiliary construction)

Most verbal forms are derived from the present stem (present, imperative, present participles) or the infinitive stem (aorist, past and perfect participles, verbal noun); the imperfect is sometimes derived from the infinitive stem and sometimes from the present stem (Vaillant 1964: 226). A very comprehensive description and analysis of the OCS verbal system can be found in Koch (1990).

To illustrate the inflection of an OCS verb, the synthetic personal forms of bĭrati (prs berǫ) ‘collect’) are shown in Table 36, the periphrastic personal forms in Table 37, and the non-finite forms in Table 38.

Table 36: Synthetic personal forms of bĭrati (prs berǫ) ‘collect’.
present imperative aorist imperfect
1sg ber‑ǫ (otŭ-pad-ě-mĭ) bĭr‑a‑x‑ŭ bĭr‑aa‑x‑ŭ
2sg ber‑e‑ši ber‑i‑∅ bĭr‑a‑∅ bĭr‑aa‑š‑e
3sg ber‑e‑tŭ ber‑i‑∅ bĭr‑a‑∅ bĭr‑aa‑š‑e
1du ber‑e‑vě ber‑ě‑vě bĭr‑a‑x‑o‑vě bĭr‑aa‑x‑o‑vě
2du ber‑e‑ta ber‑ě‑ta bĭr‑a‑s‑ta bĭr‑aa‑š‑e‑ta / ‑s‑ta
3du ber‑e‑te/a – bĭr‑a‑s‑te bĭr‑aa‑š‑e‑te / ‑s‑te
1pl ber‑e‑mŭ ber‑ě‑mŭ bĭr‑a‑x‑omŭ bĭr‑aa‑x‑o‑mŭ
2pl ber‑e‑te ber‑ě‑te bĭr‑a‑s‑te bĭr‑aa‑š‑e‑te / ‑s‑te
3pl ber‑ǫ‑tŭ (bǫdǫ) bĭr‑a‑š‑ę bĭr‑aa‑x‑ǫ
Table 37: Periphrastic personal forms of bĭrati (prs berǫ) ‘collect’.
category form
perfect bĭr‑a‑l‑ŭ, ‑a, ‑o jes‑mĭ etc.
pluperfect bĭr‑a‑l‑ŭ, ‑a, ‑o bě‑x‑ŭ etc.
future perfect bĭr‑a‑l‑ŭ, ‑a, ‑o bǫd‑ǫ etc.
present prospective (“future”) xošt‑ǫ / ima‑mĭ bĭr‑a‑ti etc.
past prospective (“future in the past”) xot‑ěa‑x‑ŭ bĭr‑a‑ti etc.
irrealis bĭr‑a‑l‑ŭ, ‑a, ‑o bi‑mĭ / by‑x‑ŭ etc.
Table 38: Non-finite forms of bĭrati (prs berǫ) ‘collect’.
category form
infinitive bĭr‑a‑ti
supine bĭr‑a‑tŭ
present active participle m/n ber‑y, f ber‑ǫšt‑i
past active participle m/n bĭr‑a‑v‑ŭ, f bĭr‑a‑v‑ŭš‑i
perfect active participle bĭr‑a‑l‑ŭ, ‑a, ‑o
present passive participle ber‑o‑mŭ, ‑a, ‑o
past passive participle bĭr‑a‑n‑ŭ, ‑a, ‑o
verbal noun bĭr‑a‑n‑ĭj‑e n

6.2. Present classes

The OCS verbal system is traditionally organised according to five main verb classes (Table 39) (see the discussion of Birnbaum & Schaeken 1997: 83–86).

Table 39: The OCS present classes.
verb class 1sg 3sg inf gloss
1. e-present ved‑ǫ ved‑e‑tŭ vesti ‘lead’
ber‑ǫ ber‑e‑tŭ bĭrati ‘collect’
2. ne-present dvig‑nǫ dvig‑ne‑tŭ dvignǫti ‘move’
3. je-present češ‑ǫ češ‑e‑tŭ česati ‘comb’
zna‑jǫ zna‑je‑tŭ znati ‘know’
4. i-present molʲ‑ǫ mol‑i‑tŭ moliti ‘pray’
vižd‑ǫ vid‑i‑tŭ viděti ‘see’
5. athematic present da‑mĭ da‑s‑tŭ dati ‘give’

6.3. Present: inflection

The inflection of the present is shown in Table 40 (bĭrati ‘collect’, dvignǫti ‘move’, znati ‘know’, moliti ‘beg’, dati ‘give’).

Table 40: Inflection of the OCS present.
class 1 (bĭrati) class 2 (dvignǫti) class 3 (znati) class 4 (moliti) class 5 (dati)
1sg ber‑ǫ dvig‑n‑ǫ zna‑j‑ǫ molʲ‑ǫ da‑mĭ
2sg ber‑e‑ši dvig‑n‑e‑ši zna‑j‑e‑ši mol‑i‑ši da‑si
3sg ber‑e‑tŭ dvig‑n‑e‑tŭ zna‑j‑e‑tŭ mol‑i‑tŭ das‑tŭ
1du ber‑e‑vě dvig‑n‑e‑vě zna‑j‑e‑vě mol‑i‑vě da‑vě
2du ber‑e‑ta dvig‑n‑e‑ta zna‑j‑e‑ta mol‑i‑ta das‑ta
3du ber‑e‑te/a dvig‑n‑e‑te/a zna‑j‑e‑te/a mol‑i‑te/a das‑te/a
1pl ber‑e‑mŭ dvig‑n‑e‑mŭ zna‑j‑e‑mŭ mol‑i‑mŭ da‑mŭ
2pl ber‑e‑te dvig‑n‑e‑te zna‑j‑e‑te mol‑i‑te das‑te
3pl ber‑ǫ‑tŭ dvig‑n‑ǫ‑tŭ zna‑j‑ǫ‑tŭ mol‑ę‑tŭ dad‑ę‑tŭ

6.4. Imperative: inflection

The inflection of the imperative is shown in Table 41 (bĭrati ‘collect’, dvignǫti ‘move’, znati ‘know’, moliti ‘beg’, dati ‘give’).

Table 41: Inflection of the OCS imperative.
class 1 (bĭrati) class 2 (dvignǫti) class 3 (znati) class 4 (moliti) class 5 (dati)
1sg (otŭ‑pad‑ě‑mĭ) – – – –
2sg ber‑i‑∅ dvig‑n‑i‑∅ zna‑i‑∅ mol‑i‑∅ dažd‑ĭ
3sg ber‑i‑∅ dvig‑n‑i‑∅ zna‑i‑∅ mol‑i‑∅ dažd-ĭ
1du ber‑ě‑vě dvig‑n‑ě‑vě zna‑i‑vě mol‑i‑vě dad‑i‑vě
2du ber‑ě‑ta dvig‑n‑ě‑ta zna‑i‑ta mol‑i‑ta dad‑i‑ta
3du – – – – –
1pl ber‑ě‑mŭ dvig‑n‑ě‑mŭ zna‑i‑mŭ mol‑i‑mŭ dad‑i‑mŭ
2pl ber‑ě‑te dvig‑n‑ě‑te zna-i‑te mol‑i‑te dad‑i‑te
3pl (bǫdǫ) – – – –

6.5. Aorist: inflection

The inflection of the aorist is shown in Table 42 (iti ‘go’, vesti ‘lead’, jęti ‘take’, moliti ‘beg’).

Table 42: Inflection of the OCS aorist.
iti vesti (a) vesti (b) jęti moliti
1sg id‑ŭ vě‑s‑ŭ ved‑o‑x‑ŭ ję‑s‑ŭ mol‑i‑x‑ŭ
2sg id‑e ved‑e ved‑e ję, ję‑tŭ mol‑i
3sg id‑e ved‑e ved‑e ję, ję‑tŭ mol‑i
1du id‑o‑vě vě‑s‑o‑vě ved‑o‑x‑o‑vě ję‑s‑o‑vě mol‑i‑x‑o‑vě
2du id‑e‑ta vě‑s‑ta ved‑o‑s‑ta ję‑s‑ta mol‑i‑s‑ta
3du id‑e‑te vě‑s‑te ved‑o‑s‑te ję‑s‑te mol‑i‑s‑te
1pl id‑o‑mŭ vě‑s‑o‑mŭ ved‑o‑x‑o‑mŭ ję‑s‑o‑mŭ mol‑i‑x‑o‑mŭ
2pl id‑e‑te vě‑s‑te ved‑o‑s‑te ję‑s‑te mol‑i‑s‑te
3pl id‑ǫ vě‑s‑ę ved‑o‑š‑ę ję‑s‑ę mol‑i‑š‑ę

6.6. Imperfect: inflection

The inflection of the aorist is shown in Table 42 (iti ‘go’, vesti ‘lead’, jęti ‘take’, moliti ‘beg’).

Table 43: Inflection of the OCS imperfect.
moliti iti byti
1sg molʲ‑aa‑x‑ŭ id‑ěa‑x‑ŭ b‑ě‑x‑ŭ
2sg molʲ‑aa‑š‑e id‑ěa‑š‑e b‑ě
3sg molʲ‑aa‑š‑e id‑ěa‑š‑e b‑ě, / b‑ěa‑š‑e
1du molʲ‑aa‑x‑o‑vě id‑ěa‑x‑o‑vě b‑ě‑x‑o‑vě
2du molʲ‑aa‑š‑e‑ta / ‑s‑ta id‑ěa‑š‑e‑ta / ‑s‑ta b‑ě‑s‑ta
3du molʲ‑aa‑š‑e‑te / ‑s‑te id‑ěa‑š‑e‑te / ‑s‑te b‑ě‑s‑te / b‑ěa‑š‑e‑te
1pl molʲ‑aa‑x‑o‑mŭ id‑ěa‑x‑o‑mŭ b‑ě‑x‑o‑mŭ
2pl molʲ‑aa‑š‑e‑te / ‑s‑te id‑ěa‑š‑e‑te / ‑s‑te b‑ě‑s‑te
3pl molʲ‑aa‑x‑ǫ id‑ěa‑x‑ǫ b‑ě‑š‑ę / b‑ěa‑x‑ǫ

6.7. Aspect: imperfective vs. perfective

The distinction between imperfective and perfective aspect is expressed by derivation. Most simple (underived) verbs are imperfective, but some are perfective.

Perfective verbs may be derived from imperfective verbs by the addition of a preverb or the suffix ‑nǫ‑. Imperfective verbs may be derived from (simple or derived) perfective verbs by suffixation with ‑a‑, ‑va‑ or ‑ova‑, or in i-verbs, by replacement of the stem suffix. Table 44 gives some typical examples.

Table 44: Formation of aspect in OCS.
simple imperfective prefixed perfective derived imperfective
plesti (plete‑) ‘plait’ sŭ-plesti ‘plait together’ sŭ-plětati ‘plait together’
tešti (teče‑) ‘run’ is‑tešti ‘run out’ is‑těkati ‘run out’
rešti (reče‑) ‘speak’ na‑rešti ‘call’ na‑ricati ‘call’
žešti (žeže‑) ‘burn (trans.)’ pri‑žešti ‘sear’ pri‑žagati ‘sear’
mošti (može‑) ‘be able’ po‑mošti ‘help’ po‑magati ‘help’
bĭrati (bere‑) ‘collect’ sŭ‑bĭrati ‘gather’ sŭ‑birati ‘gather’
mrěti (mĭre‑) ‘die’ u‑mrěti ‘die’ u‑mirati ‘die’
sŭlati (sŭľe‑) ‘send’ po-sŭlati ‘send’ po-sylati ‘send’
myti (myje‑) ‘wash’ u‑myti ‘wash’ u‑myvati ‘wash’
piti (pĭje‑) ‘drink’ u-piti sę ‘get drunk’ u‑pivati sę ‘get drunk’
slěditi (slědi‑) ‘follow’ na‑slěditi ‘inherit’ na‑slědovati ‘inherit’
mysliti (mysli‑) ‘think’ po‑mysliti ‘intend’ po‑myšlʲati ‘intend’
tvoriti (tvori‑) ‘make’ za‑tvoriti ‘close’ za‑tvarʲati ‘close’
vesti (vede‑) ‘lead, take’ iz‑vesti ‘lead out’ iz‑voditi ‘lead out’
vlěšti (vlěče‑) ‘drag, draw’ iz‑vlěšti ‘pull out’ iz‑vlačiti ‘pull out’

Examples of simple perfective verbs and their imperfective partners are shown in Table 45.

Table 45: Formation of imperfective verbs from perfective verbs in OCS.
simple perfective derived imperfective gloss
dati (dad‑) dajati ‘give’
lešti (lęže-) lěgati ‘lie down’
pasti (pade-) padati ‘fall’
prs bǫde- prs jes- ‘be’ (inf byti)
kupiti (kupi‑) kupovati ‘buy’
prostiti (prosti‑) praštati ‘forgive’
stǫpiti (stǫpi‑) stǫpati ‘tread’

The perfective verb rešti (reče-) ‘say’ forms a pair with the imperfective verb glagolati.

The imperfective present normally expresses present meaning, whereas the perfective present expresses future meaning.

6.8. Iteratives

The iterative denotes a repeated action (see Leskien 1922: 19–20 (formation), 171, 173–175 (use); Vaillant 1964: 326–335).

Verbs with a vowel-final root form the iterative with the suffix -va-.

Verbs with a consonant-final root form the iterative with the suffix -a- plus lengthening of the root vowel.

i-verbs form the iterative with the suffix -a- plus lengthening of an o in the root to a; the stem-suffix i becomes asyllabic i̯ with concomitant changes to the preceding consonant (3.4.7).