Editing Primary Chronicle (section)

=== Composition ===
The organization, style, and narrative flow of the ''Primary Chronicle'' shows signs of compilation, different historical elements are brought together into a single cohesive historical account.{{sfn|Duczko|2004|p=202}} Studies by Russian [[Philology|philologist]] [[Aleksey Shakhmatov]] and his followers have demonstrated that the ''PVL'' is not a single literary work but an amalgamation of a number of ancestors accounts and documents.{{sfn|Isoaho|2018|p=642}} In compiling the ''Chronicle'', some of Nestor's original sources definitely included but were not limited to:{{cn|date=September 2022}}

* The chronological table in the ''Primary Chronicle'' was derived from the ''Chronographikon Syntomon'' written by patriarch [[Nikephoros I of Constantinople]] (died 829){{sfn|Cross|Sherbowitz-Wetzor|1953|p=30}}
* the [[Byzantium|Byzantine]] annals of [[John Malalas]], a Greek chronicler, who in 563 produced an 18+book work of  myth and truth intertwined.{{cn|date=September 2022}}
* the Byzantine annals of the monk [[George Hamartolus]] (literally "the Sinner", as he called himself; also known as "George the Monk"){{sfn|Ostrowski|2018|p=43–44}} who tried to adhere strictly to truth, and whose works are the only contemporary source for the period 813–842{{cn|date=September 2022}}
*[[bylina|byliny<!-- plural of bylina -->]],{{sfn|Cross|Sherbowitz-Wetzor|1953|p=18}} traditional East Slavic oral epic narrative poems
*[[Norse saga]]s{{sfn|Cross|Sherbowitz-Wetzor|1953|p=43}}
* several Greek religious texts{{cn|date=September 2022}}
*[[Rus'–Byzantine Treaty (disambiguation)|Rus'–Byzantine treaties]]{{cn|date=September 2022}}{{sfn|Duczko|2004|p=202}} 
* oral tradition, but how much "is very difficult to tell".{{sfn|Duczko|2004|pp=202–203}} 
There probably were no "earlier local chronicles".{{sfn|Duczko|2004|p=202}} The hypothesis that a local chronicle was written before the late 980s at the St Elias church in Kiev "has to remain an unproven speculation".{{sfn|Duczko|2004|p=202}}

Linguistically speaking, the ''Primary Chronicle'' is written in [[Old East Slavic]], with strong [[Old Church Slavonic]] (early South Slavic) elements.{{sfn|Thuis|2015|p=246}} Although these two languages were quite similar up to the early 12th century, with few phonological, morphological and lexical differences at that point, scholars have noted a general pattern of religious passages and moral teachings featuring strong Old Church Slavonic elements, whereas entries on events in specific years are dominated by Old East Slavic elements.{{sfn|Thuis|2015|p=246}} Nevertheless, there are no clear linguistic boundaries between the two, as profane (secular) passages sometimes feature Old Church Slavonicisms, while devotional passages sometimes feature Old East Slavicisms.{{sfn|Thuis|2015|pp=246–247}} In the view of many modern linguistics, the authors (and editors) of the ''Primary Chronicle'' probably considered the language they wrote in to be one single language.{{sfn|Thuis|2015|p=247}} However, this literary language likely differed significantly from the Old East Slavic spoken [[lingua franca]] in contemporary Kiev, which appears to have been an amalgamation of several Old East Slavic dialects, with relatively few Old Church Slavonic influences.{{sfn|Thuis|2015|p=247}}