Reconstruction:Proto-Slavic/-slo

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

Alternative forms

*-slь, *-sla
*-lo
*-dlo (after vowels or r/l)

Etymology

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *-sla(s). Probably from *(s)-tlo, from *(d/t/s/z)-tlo, from Proto-Indo-European *-tlom.

Inherited, but becoming productive only in Proto-Slavic. There are many direct cognates, e.g.

*veslo (“oar, paddle”) = Latin vēlum (“sail”)
*čerslo = Lithuanian ker̃slas (“tool for drawing blood”)
*krěslo = Lithuanian krė́slas

Exact match to *-lo and *-slo are Lithuanian -las and -slas, forming instrument nouns as well as action nouns (> nomina acti).

Suffix

*-slo n

Deverbal, forming nouns denoting a tool or instrument.
*vezti (“to lead, cart, convey”) → *veztlo/*vezslo > *veslo (“oar, paddle”)

*mazati (“to smear, anoint”) → *maztlo/*mazslo > *maslo (“oil, ointment”)
(rare) Deverbal, creating action nouns, usually becoming nomina acti.
*čitti > *čisti (“to read; respect”) → *čittlo/*čitslo > *čislo (“number”)

Declension

Declension of *-slo (hard o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	*-slo	*-slě	*-sla
genitive	*-sla	*-slu	*-slъ
dative	*-slu	*-sloma	*-slomъ
accusative	*-slo	*-slě	*-sla
instrumental	-slъmь, -slomь^*	*-sloma	*-sly
locative	*-slě	*-slu	*-slěxъ
vocative	*-slo	*-slě	*-sla

^* -ъmь in North Slavic, -omь in South Slavic.

Usage notes

Used with verbs ending -C- or -a/j-
Usually used with verbs with e-vocalism of the root.
Usually from roots ending in d/t/s/z. It's not used with roots ending in r/l (see *-dlo). Possibly *-lo is used with roots ending in b/p/k/g.

Derived terms

Proto-Slavic terms suffixed with *-slo

Proto-Slavic terms suffixed with *-slь

Proto-Slavic terms suffixed with *-sla

Descendants

East Slavic:
- Old East Slavic: -сло (-slo)
  - Belarusian: -сло (-slo)
  - Russian: -сло (-slo)
  - Ukrainian: -сло (-slo)
South Slavic:
- Old Church Slavonic:
  Old Cyrillic script: -сло (-slo)
  
  Glagolitic script: -ⱄⰾⱁ (-slo)
- Bulgarian: -сло (-slo)
- Macedonian: -сло (-slo)
- Serbo-Croatian:
  Cyrillic script: -сло
  
  Latin script: -slo
- Slovene: -slo
West Slavic:
- Czech: -slo
- Polish: -sło
- Slovak: -slo
- Kashubian: -sło
- Sorbian:
  - Upper Sorbian: -sło
  - Lower Sorbian: -sło