On the Reconstruction and Etymology of Proto-Slavic *čepati ‘to go, to step’

Abstract

Regarding the origin of Proto-Slavic *čepati ‘to go, to step’, reconstructed from the dialectal data of several Slavic languages, the onomatopoeic theory currently prevails. This article examines an alternative hypothesis proposed by P. Skok, which suggests a genetic relationship between *čepati ‘to go’ and Proto-Slavic *čepati / *ščepati / *ščepiti ‘to split, to cleave’ and *ščepаti ‘to seize, to reach’. The author provides several arguments in support of this view. Semantic analogies for the connections proposed by Skok include: 1) *ščepаti ‘to seize’ > *čepati ‘to go’ (cf. Russian shag ‘step’ < *sęgati); 2) *ščepati ‘to split’ > *čepati ‘to go’ (cf. Russian dial. shchipat’ ‘to walk quietly or stealthily’). It is proposed that the Slavic semantic model *čepati / *ščepati / *ščepiti ‘to go’ < ‘to split’ + ‘to seize’ is similar to the semantic model of Old Indic kram- ‘to step’ = ‘to appropriate’ + ‘to separate, to split’, as reconstructed by V. N. Toporov. This is further supported by the kinship of Old Indic kram- with Proto-Slavic *krokъ and their common origin from PIE *(s) ker- ‘to cut’. Cf. also Russian colloquial dorvat’sya ‘to seize greedily’, and Slavic *razъ (Russian raz ‘once’, raz za razom ‘time after time’ < *rězati ‘to cut’) as a unit of action measurement.

Received: 29.10.2025.
Revised: 23.01.2026.
Accepted: 17.03.2026.

Citation
Varbot Zh. Zh. On the Reconstruction and Etymology of Proto-Slavic *čepati ‘to go, to step’ // Slavic Almanac. 2026. No 1–2. P. 334–339 (in Russian). DOI: 10.31168/2073-5731.2026.1-2.17