Re: [tied] Discussion of old english néotan and brúcan

At 1:46:29 AM on Sunday, July 16, 2006, Carl Hult wrote:

> http://www.tha-engliscan-gesithas.org.uk/gegaderung/
> topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3495&FORUM_ID=14&CAT_ID=1&Forum_Title=Englisc+Gewosa&
> Topic_Title=What%27s+the+use%3F&whichpage=1&tmp=1#pid37517

> I Saw this rather interesting discussion today about the
> old english words néotan and brúcan, both with a history
> far more interesting than I first thought. Brook (brúcan)
> is alive and fairly well today, that is clear but at least
> one of the members of this forum seems to be having an
> idea about neat being in part from the old english néotan.
> I agree with him.

I don't: the derivation from Anglo-Norman <neet>, <neit>
(variants of OFr <net> 'clean, pure') offered in the OED is
entirely convincing: already in the 12th century OFr <net>
is found in such senses as 'smart, trim, elegant', applied
both to people and to things.

Brian