aščerъ

aščerъ Grammatical information: m. o Proto-Slavic meaning: `lizard'

Page in Trubačev: I 87-89

Old Church Slavic:

aštera (Supr.) `lizard' [Gensm o]

Russian:

jáščer `inflammation of the tongue (cattle, horses)' [m o];

jáščerica `lizard' [f jā]

Czech:

ještěr `saurian, dragon' [m o];

ještěrka `lizard' [f ā];

ještěřice (rare) `lizard' [m o]

Polish:

jaszczur `salamander, saurian' [m o];

jaszczurka `lizard' [f ā];

jaszczór (dial.) `lizard' [m o]

Slovincian:

vješčìe̯řäcă `lizard' [f ā]

Serbo-Croatian:

jȁster (obs.) `lizard' [m o];

jȁšterica `vesicle on the tongue' [f jā];

Čak. jȁšćerica (Vrgada) `vesicle on the tongue' [f jā]

Slovene:

jȃščerica `green lizard' [f jā];

jȃščarica `green lizard' [f jā]

Lithuanian:

skėrỹs `locust' [m io]

Latvian:

sk̨ìrgaîlis `lizard' [m io];

sk̨ir̃gaila `lizard' [f ā]

Old Prussian:

estureito `lizard'

Page in Pokorny: 933

Comments: Though the details would remain unclear, there is definitely possibility that this is a substratum word showing prefixation of a non-Indo-European type (cf. Schrijver 1997: 307-312). Among the alternative solutions, the analysis *h₁oh₁ḱu-sker-, a compound of the word for `quick' and the verbal root that is found in Gk. σκαίρω `frisk' as well as probably Lith. skėrỹs `harvestman, daddy-long-legs' and Latv. šk̨ìrgaîlis², seems the most attractive (Vey 1953, see also -> *astrębъ).

Other cognates:

Gk. ἀσκαρίς `worm in the intestines, larva of a mosquit o' [f];

Gk. σκαρίδες: εἶδος ἑλμίνθων (Hesych.)