Re: [tied] Re: English boy; Lith batis, Rom-Alb baci, bade

----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel J. Milton" <dmilt1896@...>
To: <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2005 11:05 AM
Subject: [tied] Re: English boy; Lith batis, Rom-Alb baci, bade


--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "alexandru_mg3" <alexandru_mg3@...>
wrote:

> If somebody can well derive English boy here please to do it....
Marius
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American Heritage Dictionary has:
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English <boi>, possibly from Old French <embuié>,
servant, past participle of <embuier>, "to fetter".
Buck's "Synonyms" has:
ME,NE <boy>, E. Fris. <boi> "boy", prob. ON <bofi>, Du. <boef> "knave,
rogue", NHG <bube> "knave, servant", dial. "boy", orig. a nursery word
like NE <baby> etc.

I wouldn't bet on either.
Dan Milton

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Patrick:

Without a creditable solution, the etymologer (sic!) returns to infantile
explanations like Kinderstubensprache, which certainly shows where his head
is but have no bearing on anything else.

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