San - what is it? Usually this lexeme is associated with the clergy, with their hierarchy. This view corresponds to the actual state of affairs. However, this is not the only scope of this structural unit. What does the word "san" mean yet? You will find information about this in the article.
Word in dictionary
What does the word "san" mean? The dictionary gives two answers to this question.
1. The first of them is a title, which is associated with a high and honorable position in society, a high rank. The noun "dignitary" is formed from it, denoting the bearer of a high rank, a nobleman. According to the Table of Ranks, approved by Peter I in 1722, among the state (civilian) ranks, the highest (first three classes) were the chancellor, the real privy councilor of the first class, just the real privy councilor, and also the privy councillor. Further examples can be given, such as:
- in the army - Field Marshal General;
- in the Navy - Admiral General;
- in the court service, for example, the general chamberlain, ober-marshal, chief of the ringmaster.
2. The second refers to religious vocabulary and denotes the title that a minister of a Christian cult has. There are two categories - clergymen and clergymen. The first (in ascending order) are deacon, priest, bishop. Second: priest, reader, subdeacon.
To understand what it is - "san", it would be advisable to delve into the origin of the word.
Etymology
It goes back to the old Russian "san" in the meaning of "san". The latter is found in the writings of Cyril of Turov, an Orthodox theologian of the 12th century, a bishop. And also in the Laurentian Chronicle, one of the oldest in Russia. The name was received by her by the name of the Russian Orthodox monk Lavrenty, a Suzdal monk. The year of the creation of the chronicle is 1377.
Another word "san" is directly related to the Old Slavonic noun "san" and the adjective "sanovit" - "having a high rank." They are found in the Supral Chronicle, a collection of texts from the first half of the 16th century, originating from the Supral Monastery (present-day Poland). Most of her texts are extracts from the Novgorod chronicles, which date back to the Pskov collection of the second half of the 15th century.
Since the noun “san” is not widely spread in the Slavic languages, etymologists come to the conclusion that it was borrowed from the Danube-Bulgarian language. Linguists compare it to:
- Turkish san - " title", " title", "honor", "respect";
- Chagatai and Kypchaksan - "san", "glory", "large number";
- Northern Turkic sanamak - "appreciate".
Other values
The word "san" also has the following interpretations:
- An alternative name for the Bushmen, common in South Africa. These are several indigenous South African peoples, hunter-gatherers numbering about 100 thousand people. According to the latest data, they are the owners of the oldest genotype.
- In Japan, "san" is one of the nominal suffixes. He is neutral-polite and is close to addressing in Russian by name and patronymic. It is widely used in all areas. For example, this is the communication of people with equal social status, younger to older. Often it is used in contact with unfamiliar people. And also a young man can apply it to his beloved.
- As part of a word or the prefix "San", being derived from the Italian San, Spanish Santo, means "holy". This is a person who is especially revered in various religions for righteousness, piety, steadfast confession of faith, intercession for people before God.
Completing the study of the question of what is "san", let's consider the corresponding geographical names.
Localities
These include:
- Located in the department of Calvados in France, a commune. The department is famous for its production of cheeses, butter, cereals, apples, calvados, cider and aperitif pommo.
- City located inThe Republic of Mali, a landlocked West African country, in the province of Ségou (southern Mali). The city is known as the center of production of traditional Malian fabric - bogolanfini.
Rivers
A river flowing in Ukraine and Poland, which is a tributary of the Vistula, about 500 kilometers long. On it are such cities as Sanok, Yaroslav, Przemysl. According to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, along with the Vistula and the Narew, the San river was the border marking the interests of the Soviet Union and Germany in Poland. And since 1939, the river has been the border between Germany and the USSR.
The river, which is the left tributary of the Mekong, flows through the territory of Cambodia and Vietnam. The area of its basin is 17 thousand square meters. km. It forms the state border between Cambodia and Vietnam for more than 20 km.
