Boy: Porovnání verzí

Řádek 2: Řádek 2:
  
 
ME: bey, beye, boey, boi, ...  
 
ME: bey, beye, boey, boi, ...  
 +
 
ModE: boy
 
ModE: boy
  
Řádek 30: Řádek 31:
 
'''Evidence in other languages'''
 
'''Evidence in other languages'''
  
Middle Dutch ''boye'' - (female) servant  
+
Middle Dutch ''boye'' - (female) servant
Low German ''boi''  
+
 
 +
Low German ''boi''
 +
 
 
Frisian ''boai''  
 
Frisian ''boai''  
  
 
all of these forms could originate from a nursery form of the word 'brother' (cf. German ''Bub(e)'')
 
all of these forms could originate from a nursery form of the word 'brother' (cf. German ''Bub(e)'')

Verze z 25. 11. 2014, 23:04

Form:

ME: bey, beye, boey, boi, ...

ModE: boy


Meanings

early meanings: 'male servant' or 'person of low birth status'

later the meaning 'young male'


Origin

- uncertain

2 theories:


a) Germanic origin (OE word or borrowing from other Germanic languages)

- a surname/nickname (Roberti litelboie, Willelmi Godeboye, Alanus Boye, ...)


b) Borrowing from French

- boie: aphaeresis (a shortened form) of the Anglo-Norman word emboié/embuié/enbué (ADJ - 'fettered' or N - 'a person in chains')

- boiasse: a French word for a female servant; -asse as a female suffix, analogically male servant without the suffix


Evidence in other languages

Middle Dutch boye - (female) servant

Low German boi

Frisian boai

all of these forms could originate from a nursery form of the word 'brother' (cf. German Bub(e))