Title:

Historical linguist on grzeczny (‘polite’) and grzeczność (‘politeness’)

Creator:

Walczak, Bogdan

Publisher:

Institute of Polish language

Place of publishing:

Cracow

Date issued/created:

2015

Type of object:

Journal/Article

Subject and Keywords:

history of language ; etymology ; lexicology ; semantics

Abstract:

The article presents the etymology and history of two basic terms of language etiquette: grzeczny (‘polite’) and grzeczność (‘politeness’). The author shows how the semantics of the noun rzecz, which was derived from the verb rzec, evolved to the meaning correspondent to the Latin noun res. From rzeczy the prepositional phrase was created k rzeczy → krzeczy → grzeczny (vocalization before the word-initial sonorant) which implicated the meaning ‘precisely, sensibly, properly’, and the subsequentgrzeczny, originally ‘suitable, proper’, then ‘sensible’, and finally ‘polite’ (from the 17th c., widespread from the 18th c.). Grzecz ność, derived from the word grzeczny with its latter definition, established and spreaded in the 18th c. the meaning still valid nowadays: ‘courtesy, politeness, good manners’.

Relation:

Polonica

Volume:

XXXV (35)

Start page:

81

End page:

86

Resource type:

Text

Detailed Resource Type:

Article

Format:

application/pdf

Resource Identifier:

10.17651/POLON.35.7

Language:

pol

Rights:

Rights Reserved - Free Access

Terms of use:

Copyright-protected material. May be used within the limits of statutory user freedoms

Digitizing institution:

Institute of Polish Language of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Access:

Open