SLAVONIC NAMES OF 'HAIR' AS IN DIALECTIC MATERIAL AND HISTORICAL SOURCES (Slowianskie nazwy 'wlosów' w swietle materialów gwarowych i zródel historycznych)

The names of 'hair' from Slavic territories presented herein show a general development tendency, which is removing former multiple synonymic names and establishing one basic name, on certain territories. It can be seen mainly on the example of the root *vols' becoming widely recognized at the cost of another common Slavonic root *kosa. A certain influence on the decline of the root *kosa could have been exerted by the tendency to avoid homonymy with the word *kosa 'tool for mowing' (scythe). On eastern Slavic territories, as well as in Slovenia, in spite of the emergence of a similar tendency, an invariably frequent occurrence of opponent names and forms can be observed. A particular degree of complication can be seen in various plural forms and former collective formations occurring in opposition to the name *vols' and performing the same function.