Once again about the Semantics of CS adjective *mǫdrъ

Abstract

The subject of the article is the semantic development of CS adjective *mǫdrъthat comes from the proto-European root *men-dh- and has equi-valents in other language groups. The meaning of the Lituanian adjective mandras is ‘cheerful, lively' while the OHG muntar means‘ardent, cheer-ful'. In the etymological dictionaries the meaning ‘cheerful' is recon structed as a primary meaning. The basis for such a reconstruction is the rule that specifi c meanings precede abstract ones. However, it is in contradiction with the semantics of the derivative base, because for the root *men-dh- the meaning ‘to put one's mind to some-thing' is reconstructed. It seems logical that the meaning of the adjective *mon-dhro- should also be connected with the concept of thinking. This leads us to the conclusion that the meaning ‘wise' of the CS adjective *mǫdrъis an inherited one.