Etymologia przyimka {dla} a nieregularny rozwój fonetyczny spowodowany frekwencją
Etymology of the Polish preposition {dla} ‘for’ and irregular sound change due to frequency

Summary/Abstract: According to the etymological dictionary of the Polish language by Brückner, Old Polish {dziela} and Modern Polish {dla} ‘for’ have the same meaning, but their origin is different: {dziela} is related to {dzieło} ‘work’, while {dla} derives from {dla} ‘length’. But Vasmer, the author of the etymological dictionary of the Russian language, claimed that Russian {dlja} ‘for’ is a reduced form of Old Russian {dělja}. The present writer believes that Vasmer was right and tries to explain the reduction by what he calls irregular sound change due to frequency. In addition, the author quotes the opinion of a statistician on irregular sound change caused to frequency.

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