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Archiver > GENBRIT > 2004-01 > 1073924244


From: "Chris Dickinson" <>
Subject: Re: Nephew double meaning
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 16:17:24 +0000 (UTC)
References: <Z%CLb.429$ir1.2691@newsfep4-glfd.server.ntli.net> <58euvv8in0aob0772p8n9fpfrfsv8dgnmv@4ax.com> <fqkvvvc2698i99l7t4groqud8fr3nbroi1@4ax.com> <ijrvvvcm81irjmd7famuo1sco3tnhobpu9@4ax.com> <MVXLb.422$YV1.383@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net> <cig2001p3dbg9uo9g8ct5s18jgart84dfp@4ax.com> <4001b9ee.14703074@news.cis.dfn.de>


Cecilia wrote:

>Don Aitken wrote:
>>"W Johnson" wrote:
>>>[...]
>>>According to the Shorter OED,
>>> examples of the following have been found:
>>>
>>>1. nephew was used meaning niece up to 1585.
>>> [...]
>>>
>> I think that "up to" is misleading. [...]
>>There is no implication that the
>> cited use ceased at or soon after the
>> date of the last cite.
>
>"The latest limit of an obsolete word or sense is shown by means of a
>year preceded by a dash, as -1759."
>The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, Vol I A-M, Third Edition
>reprinted with corrections, 1967
>
>Which I take to mean that the OED did not know of a (written) use of
>the obsolete word or sense after the given date; "up to 1585" seems
>a reasonable restatement of the OEd's "-1585".


Um well, if any editor of the OED is reading this, here is an instance of
nephew being used to mean niece in 1682, about one hundred years later:

from the will of Henry Towerson the elder of Oldby [Aldby] in the parish of
Cleator, Cumberland:

"I give and bequeath to my nephew Jane Woodle ..."
"I give and bequeath to my nephew Ellinor Hodgson ..."
"I give and bequeath to my nephew Margrett Towerson ..."


Chris



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