mě̄zgà

mě̄zgà Grammatical information: f. ā Accent paradigm: b Proto-Slavic meaning: `sap'

Page in Trubačev: XVIII 23-25

Russian:

mezgá (dial.) `sap-wood, pulp, membrane, remnants of meat on the inside of a hide' [f ā]

Old Russian:

mězga `sap, sap-wood, resin' [f ā];

mjazga `sap-wood, resin' [f ā]

Czech:

míza `sap' [f ā];

mizga (Mor. dial.) `sap' [f ā]

Old Czech:

miezha `sap' [f ā];

miezka `sap' [f ā]

Slovak:

miazga `sap' [f ā]

Polish:

miazga `mass, mash, pulp' [f ā]

Slovincian:

mjǻuzgă `sap' [f ā]

Upper Sorbian:

měza `sap' [f ā]

Lower Sorbian:

mězga `sap' [f ā]

Serbo-Croatian:

mézga `sap' [f ā];

mézgra `sap' [f ā]

Slovene:

mẹ́zga `sap' [f ā]

Bulgarian:

măzgá `sap' [f ā]

Comments: Obviously, some forms have been influenced semantically and/or formally by -> *męzdra. The original meaning of the etymon seems to be `sap of (trees)' rather than `sap-wood'. The connection with MoHG Maische , MHG meisch, OE māx-wyrt `mash (in a brewery)' is not unattractive, but becomes less plausible if the Germanic word derives from OHG miscen, OE miscian `mix'. The ESSJa suggests that the root is *h₃meiǵʰ- (-> mižati II, etc.) and adduces Sln. mǝzẹ́ti `trickle', mẹ́žiti se `begin to contain sap'. The seemingly obvious semantic link may be secondary, however.