142
NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. XL FEB. 21,
How can an English base wat- have any-
thing to do with an O.H.G. wat or an
original root we ?
Sigh.' Concise ' does not explain how it is that':we have the form " sigh " in modern English instead of "sike," the regular repre- sentative of O.E. slcan. The spelling " sigh " points to an older spirant sound which started From a weak preterite form *sl hte (in Chaucer syghte). This is quite regular, for in Ger- manic every guttural followed by t becomes /it. SeeSievers's ' Grammar,' 232. In the Windhill dialect the verb is pronounced as literary English see, which is proof that a spirant was formerly pronounced. See ' Wind- hill Grammar,' 318.
Gibbet. Concise' says, "Is O.F. gibet & diminutive from Dutch wippe (a gibbet) in Hexham ? " Both the English pronunciation of the initial sound and the form of the Italian giubetto (found in Dante) necessitate a decided negative to this question. If there had been any connexion with Dutch wippe t"he O.F. word would have begun with gui- (not gi-), and our English word would have retained the French guttural. By-the-by, how can gibet, if it be " a large stick," be a diminutive of gibe, a moderately sized stick ?
Kindle (to inflame). ' Concise 'tells us that Icel. kyndill (a torch, a candle) is borrowed from O.E. candel, a borrowing from Lat. candela (candle). The identification of Icel. kyndill with Lat. candela cannot be accepted ; for kyndill presupposes an original type kundiloz, a form distinct from candela in root- syllable, suffix, and gender. Icel. kyndill cannot be separated from the verb kynda (to inflame), a word for which * H.E.D.' does not propose any etymology. And our kindle (to inflame) is doubtless a derivative of this kynda. There is no good reason for identify- ing kindle (to inflame) with kindle (to bring forth puppies), as suggested in ' Concise. '
I here bring these ' Notes ' to a close, hoping that they may be of some use to those who are interested in English etymology. I have made Prof. Skeat's latest dictionary the starting-point of my remarks, not because his book calls for special criticism, but because it is the most recent and most advanced work on the subject, and because it is a work which future compilers of English etymological dictionaries will be bound to consult. It is mainly for the benefit of these compilers that I have ventured to offer my criticisms on a most valuable book.
COMESTOR OXONIENSIS.
THE 'PASTON LETTERS' AND THE 'N.E.D.
THE following quotations from the ' Paston Letters,' ed. J. Gairdner, 1897, are earlier than those in the ' N.E.D.,' unless otherwise marked :
A, conj. (later). 1487, iii. 464, " iij. brode girdilles, oone of tawny silke with bokill a pendaunt."
Abar. Circa 1492, iii. 379, "he is a bowght to renieve the prysoner by a pryvy seall to abarre me from myn mony."
Abearinff.145A, i. 283, " that the sayd Ledham fynde surte of his good aberyng."
Abligacion=ob\iga,tion. 1462, ii. 102.
Abord, v. 1458, i. 429, "and then come they and aborded the schippe that I was in."
Abstract, sb. ? 1457, i. 412, " I sende you also
a abstracte."
Accessary. 1451, i. 190. "Item, to indyte the
baly of Swaffham Heydon, Prentys, of felonye
as excercarys."
Accompany. 1450, i. 102, "of other your seid ambassitours with him thenne accompanyd."
Accomplishing. 1459, i. 460, "for the said accom- plisshing of the said purpoos."
Accomplishment. 1456, i. 382, "for th'accom- plesshment of youre desire." Also 1457, i. 420.
Accountant (true sb.). 1457, i. 415, "And manye othere accomptants that maken lyvere of provy- syons."
Accrue. 1440, i. 41, "be the vertue of qwch out- lagare, all maner of chattell to the seide John Lyston apperteynyng, arn acruwyed on to the Kyng."
Accustom. 1452, i. In trod, p. Ixxviii, "soudiours and men of werre which were accustumed to abide uppon the suerte and saufgarde of the same." Also 1457, i. 414.
A dherence. 1450, i. 101, " Uppon wich adherence, councell, and counfort of the seid Duke of Suffolk."
Adherent, sb. 1451, i. 192, "Tudenham and Hey- don and here adherentes."
Administer, Administrer.\4M, ii. 168, "the seid administers, executores, or feffes." Ibid., p. 167, "or any other executor, administror, or feffe."
Admission. ? 1430, i. 30, " wittenessyng the same acceptacipnandadmyssion of the seyd resignacion."
Advertisement. 1457, i. 419.
A/ear, sb. (not in). 1454, i. 281, " the absence of many of the well-rewlyd people of the sayd hundred of affere."
Agnus. 1487, iii. 464, "An Agnus with a baleys."
Agrudge. 1450, i. 143, "for reformacion of suche wrorige as the peples herts most agrugge."
Aid. 1452, i. Introd. p. Ixxviii, "the Due of Somersett wold yeve noo counseile, aide ne helpe unto the capitanis." Also 1455, iii. 425, " myne evidents of more ade."
Aidant. 1450, s.v. Confortant in 'N.E.D.'
A leccion=Q lection, i. 180 and ii. 29.
Alexander. 1482, iii. 286; also 1487, iii. 464, "A blak coveryng for a bed of borde alisaunder."
Alias. 1465, ii. 217, "your councell thynketh it were well don that ye gete an allias and a,pluries."
Ambidexter. 1451, i. 192.
Amission. 1452, i. Introd. p. Ixxviii, " the losse and anrission of youre Duchie of Normandie." Ibid., p. Ixxix, " the losse and amission of youre said Toun of Cales."
Antedate. 1456, i. 388, "howe that any lettre patentes shuld be purchased of an ante date."
