Etymologie, Etimología, Étymologie, Etimologia, Etymology
UK Vereinigtes Königreich Großbritannien und Nordirland, Reino Unido de Gran Bretaña e Irlanda del Norte, Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Nord, Regno Unito di Gran Bretagna e Irlanda del Nord, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Frau, Señora, Femme, Donna, Woman

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girl (W3)

Abstract

The article revisits the etymological explanations of a number of English names for "young female person". The etymology of English "girl" has been dealt with repeatedly. It seems best to project the noun back to OE "gierela" = "garment". Even if the connection can be justified from the semantic point of view, the initial stop consonant of "girl" must be accounted for. The phonology of "girl" can be explained if we assume that the word was taken over from what may be called a "barn-dialect" in Old English.

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ku-eichstaett - BAMMESBERGER / JOACHIM GRZEGA
MODE girl AND OTHER TERMS FOR "YOUNG FEMALE PERSON" IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE HISTORY

Abstract

The article revisits the etymological explanations of a number of English names for "young female person". The etymology of English "girl" has been dealt with repeatedly. It seems best to project the noun back to OE "gierela" = "garment". Even if the connection can be justified from the semantic point of view, the initial stop consonant of "girl" must be accounted for. The phonology of "girl" can be explained if we assume that the word was taken over from what may be called a "barn-dialect" in Old English.

ModE "maid" is not just an elliptical form of "maiden", but is the result of an iinfluence by the latter on a ME pre-stage "maith".
ModE dial. "maw’r" and "mawther" may go back to OE "mágutudor".

OE "ides" may be traced back to an IE form "*(e)ité(n)os" = "course of the world", a derivate of "*ei" = "to go" (an "ides" is then a "woman determining one's fate").

OE "scielcen", a feminine of "scealc", may eventually originate in the IE root "*(s)kel-" = "bent", "crooked" (with a "-k(o)"-suffix).

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virgin (W3)

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