AboutTed Nesbitt Expertise I have an interest in the meanings of words and phrases, as well as how and when they became part of the English language. I enjoy
researching idioms, colloquialisms, dialects, and obscurities of
all kinds. I prefer short questions on a particular subject, and
I will not accept lengthy research projects or term papers. NOTE: ALLEXPERTS CLAIMS THAT I TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN AND FROM LATIN TO ENGLISH. I DO NOT. ALLEXPERTS REFUSES TO DELETE THE LATIN-TO-ENGLISH SERVICE -- ONE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE.
TRUST ME ON THIS: ALLEXPERTS IS WRONG. I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LANGUAGE. LOOK FOR A LANGUAGE EXPERT INSTEAD. ETYMOLOGY AND TRANSLATING SERVICES ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. ALLEXPERTS SHOULD KNOW THAT. ALLEXPERTS DOES NOT KNOW THAT. I HAVE TRIED FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THEM TO CHANGE. THEY WILL NOT. SORRY, BUT I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN.
Experience I am the bibliographic instruction and reference librarian at a public
college. My master's thesis concerns William Faulkner's tragic novels. I formerly taught advanced placement English at two schools in the Philadelphia area.
I have been a member of the grammar and writing section of Allexperts
for more than a year.
Education/Credentials Masters degrees in English, philosophy, and library science.
Question hi ..
i'm lookin for the etymology of the word gemstone , i searched for this word n' on dictionary.com .. it tells me the origin of the word is somethin like this
"bef. 1000; ME gimstone, OE gimstān" i dont know wht ME N' OE MEANS ..
thnk you , lookin forward 2 hear from you soon .
Answer Dear Umar:
First, ME stands for "Middle English" and OE stands for "Old English."
The Old English period began around the year 450 and continued into the 12th century. It was derived from the West Germanic language and was strongly influenced by the Norse language. A famous example of Old English is the heroic poem "Beowulf."
Middle English followed Old English, as the language gradually changed. Middle English is usually given the dates of 1150-1500. The monks that came to England from European countries played an important part in the gradual development of Middle English from Old English. Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" was written in Middle English.
During the Renaissance period, the English language began the early modern era. Shakespeare, for instance, wrote in the Early Modern style. The English language, as we know it today, was transitioned during the middle of the 17th century, or about the year 1650.
The earliest usage of "gemstone" in WRITTEN English was about the year 1000, and its spelling only vaguely resembles the present day word "gemstone." It was spelled "ymstanas." For many years, the word was spelled "imstone." It was not until the year 1883 that the word was spelled as it is today: "gem-stone." [It began as a hyphenated word, but the hyphen was eventually omitted.]
I am pasting in below the complete record of the word GEMSTONE from "The Oxford English Dictionary," which is the most authoritative and comprehensive source for the origins of words in the English language.
I hope this help you.
Ted Nesbitt
OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY --
In OE. and ME. = GEM 1. Also fig. b. A stone capable of being worked up into a gem.
a. c1000 ÆLFRIC Hom. I. 62 as ymstanas synd tocwysede. c1175 Lamb. Hom. 135 Ne sculen e nawiht imstones leggen swinen to mete. a1240 Ureisun in Cott. Hom. 193 Mid brihte imstones hore krune is al biset. c1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 370/109 And with riche imstones al-so.
fig. a1175 Cott. Hom. 217 Heo is hefone liht..and all hiscefte imston. c1200 Vices & Virtues 95 at faire scrud of charite all besett mid imstanes of gode werkes.
b. 1883 A. H. CHURCH Precious Stones ii. 9 With an instrument so constructed the pleiochroism of the vast majority of gem-stones may be determined at a glance.
