Svetozar Nikolić's Staroslovenski jezik: II - Primeri sa rečnikom
(Old Church Slavonic: II - Examples with Dictionary) is a foundational university-level textbook designed for students of Slavic studies and philology. While Volume I focuses on grammar, phonetics, and morphology, Volume II is the practical application of that theory. Core Content and Structure
The book is approximately 143 pages long and serves as a primary sourcebook for reading and analyzing authentic Old Church Slavonic texts.
Historical and Linguistic Context: It opens with an overview of the historical and linguistic issues surrounding Old Church Slavonic.
Orthography: Includes detailed sections on the Old Church Slavonic alphabet and writing systems.
Glagolitic Texts: Contains original excerpts from key Glagolitic monuments, including: Zograf Gospel and Marianus Gospel. Assemani Gospel. Sinai Psalter and Ohrid Leaves.
Comprehensive Dictionary: A significant portion of the book is dedicated to a specialized dictionary that helps students translate and grammatically parse the included texts. Academic Utility
In academic circles, particularly at the University of Belgrade where Nikolić was a prominent figure, this work is considered essential for its structural clarity and didactic approach. It bridges the gap between theoretical grammar and the complex reality of medieval manuscripts. Digital Availability
The "Pdf" versions mentioned in your query are widely hosted on academic and document-sharing platforms:
Scribd: Versions titled Staroslovenski Jezik II - Primeri Sa Recnikom are frequently cited by users as useful study aids.
Google Drive: Direct PDF copies are often shared via public academic folders for student access.
Online Libraries: Listings can be found on Google Books and Serbian bookstores like Korisna Knjiga.
Staroslovenski jezik: II : primeri sa rečnikom - Svetozar Nikolić
Staroslovenski jezik: Naučna knjiga, 1986 - Church Slavic language - 143 pages. Google Books Svetozar Nikolic Staroslovenski Jezik Ii Pr Pdf
Staroslovenski jezik: II : primeri sa rečnikom - Svetozar Nikolić
The work " Staroslovenski jezik II: Primeri sa rečnikom " by Svetozar Nikolić is a foundational textbook used in university-level South Slavic philology to study Old Church Slavonic. While "Part I" focuses on grammar, phonology, and morphology, "
" is designed as a practical workbook containing primary texts and a specialized dictionary. Content Overview
Textual Samples (Primeri): The book includes excerpts from the most significant Old Church Slavonic manuscripts. These typically include the Zograf Gospel, Marianus Gospel, Psalterium Sinaiticum, and the Kiev Missal.
Glossary (Rečnik): A comprehensive dictionary tailored to the provided texts, helping students translate and analyze archaic vocabulary.
Linguistic Analysis: It often provides commentary on the specific orthographic and phonetic features found in different manuscripts (Glagolitic vs. Cyrillic traditions). Available Digital Resources
You can access or view the digital version of this textbook through several educational and archiving platforms:
Direct PDF Access: A full digital copy (approx. 73 pages) is hosted on Serbian Medieval Coins.
Scribd: The document is available for reading and download (with a subscription/account) under the title "Svetozar Nikolic - Staroslovenski Jezik II - Primeri Sa Recnikom".
Google Drive: Some academic circles share the file via Google Drive links, though these may require permission for access. Physical Copies & Publishing
If you prefer a physical copy for study, the book has been published by various houses over the years: 7/14/2019 Svetozar Nikolic - Staroslovenski Jezik II
The Red Covers
The rain battered the tall windows of the Belgrade Faculty of Philology, blurring the city lights into smearing streaks of yellow and grey. Inside the library, the air was thick with the smell of old paper and damp wool coats. Svetozar Nikolić's Staroslovenski jezik: II - Primeri sa
Luka sat at a heavy oak table, his head in his hands. Before him lay the enemy: a semester exam on the history of the Slavic languages.
"It’s hopeless," Luka muttered to the empty chair beside him. "The phonetics, the nasal vowels, the jer signs... it’s a maze."
From the shadows of the stacks, a voice rasped. "It is not a maze, young man. It is a river. You cannot fight the current; you must learn to float."
Luka jumped. An older man, likely a retired professor or a perpetual student, shuffled out from between the shelves. He was carrying a tall stack of books, but one in particular was tucked under his arm. It had a distinctive, utilitarian cover—a plain beige background with bold red lettering on the spine.
The old man sat down opposite Luka and placed the book on the table with a respectful thud.
Literatura: Svetozar Nikolić, Staroslovenski jezik II.
"You are stuck on the second semester?" the old man asked, tapping the book. "The morphology? The syntax?"
"All of it," Luka admitted. "I have PDFs on my laptop, screenshots on my phone, but I can’t make sense of the declensions."
The old man smiled, a crinkle forming around his eyes. "Digital copies are useful, but they are cold. They do not carry the weight of the history you are trying to learn. Svetozar Nikolić was a master. He didn't just teach the language; he taught the soul of the Slavs."
The stranger opened the book—the physical copy, not a digital printout. The pages were slightly yellowed, the edges worn soft by decades of turning fingers.
"Look here," the man said, pointing to a chapter on the complex system of verb aspect. "Nikolić understood that Old Church Slavonic was not just a fossil. It was the bridge. When you study Staroslovenski jezik II, you are not just memorizing tables. You are learning how the logic of our ancestors structured their world."
Luka looked at the text. In his PDF, the scanned pages were often crooked or faint, making the complex diacritics hard to read. But here, in this old printed edition, the characters were sharp, authoritative.
"Many students search for the PDF online," the old man continued, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "They rush to download Staroslovenski jezik II by Nikolić in PDF format days before the exam. They search for the 'Pr'—the Primer or Praktikum—hoping for shortcuts. But the text resists being rushed." The Red Covers The rain battered the tall
He turned to a section on the suffixed pronouns.
"Do you see the beauty?" the man asked, tracing a line with a calloused finger. "Nikolić explains the evolution of the sound laws. He shows you how the language breathed. The PDF tells you what is right. The book tells you why it is right."
Luka leaned in. For the first time all night, the jumble of symbols in his notes began to align. Listening to the old man read a passage aloud, the guttural sounds and the nasal vowels didn't seem like arbitrary rules. They sounded like an incantation, a heavy, rhythmic chant that predated the modern nations.
"I think... I think I get it," Luka said. "It’s about the structure, not just the sounds."
"Precisely," the old man nodded. He stood up, gathering his coat. "Keep the book. I have three copies at home. Consider it a loan from one traveler on the river to another."
He slid the heavy volume across the table toward Luka.
"Wait," Luka called out as the man turned to leave. "Who are you?"
The old man paused at the turnstile, looking back with a knowing smile. "Just someone who knows that the best way to study the old language is to respect the hands that wrote it, and the hands that explained it. Good luck with the exam."
Luka sat alone again. The rain was still falling, but the room felt warmer. He closed his laptop, pushing the glowing screen aside. He opened the red-lettered book by Svetozar Nikolić, took a pen, and began to read. The river, finally, was beginning to flow.
Q: Is the PDF of Svetozar Nikolic Staroslovenski Jezik II available for free? A: Potentially on Slavic Studies Discord servers or Telegram groups dedicated to philology, but these are unofficial. Legally, you must purchase a used copy or access a library scan.
Q: What is the difference between "II" and "II Pr"? A: "II" alone may refer to the theory textbook. "II Pr" specifically indicates the Priručnik (workbook) which includes exercises and reading texts. Most students need the combined edition.
Q: Is the book in Latin or Cyrillic script? A: Nikolić writes his explanations in Serbian Cyrillic, but quotes OCS in the original Glagolitic and Cyrillic. You need to read Serbian Cyrillic fluently to use this PDF.
Q: I found a scan, but it is missing pages 143–150 (syntax of participles). What do I do? A: This is a common scanning error. Use the "missing pages" feature on archive.org to request a fill, or source those pages from Josip Hamm’s Staroslavenska gramatika (pages 210-220).
Since a raw PDF of Staroslovenski Jezik II is intimidating, follow this strategy:
Search their e-catalog. As of 2024, they are slowly digitizing out-of-print textbooks. If copyright expires (author died 2009 – entering public domain in Serbia by 2079?), it remains protected, but they may allow on-site viewing scans.