Dear Selma, Thank you for that bit of digging into the etymology of "good", which, as far as I can recall, neither I nor anybody else in this discussion claimed was derived from "God". Still, the Oxford English Dictionary, in its various manifestations, is certainly a great resource. It tracked the first use of one particular term to 1285? We weren't even alive then! Regards, Victor
--- On Mon, 3/8/10, Carvalho <elisabeth_...@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Carvalho <elisabeth_...@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [Goanet] Dev Borem Korum To: goanet@lists.goanet.org Date: Monday, March 8, 2010, 12:41 PM The ethmology of the word Good is not God as we understand the word. The ethomology of morning is morewen. Good morning is not exactly derived from May God give you a good morning. It is an expression of its own accord from Gode morewen, for the olde English word "good". I could be wrong of course. best, selma good (adj.) O.E. god (with a long "o") "having the right or desirable quality," from P.Gmc. *gothaz (cf. O.N. goðr, Du. goed, Ger. gut, Goth. goþs), originally "fit, adequate, belonging together," from PIE base *ghedh- "to unite, be associated, suitable" (cf. O.C.S. godu "pleasing time," Rus. godnyi "fit, suitable," O.E. gædrian "to gather, to take up together"). Irregular comparatives (better, best) reflect a widespread pattern, cf. L. bonus, melior, optimus. First record of good day is from c.1205. Goods "property" first recorded c.1280, but singular in the same sense was in O.E. The good neighbours is Scot. euphemism for "the fairies" (1588). Good-for-nothing is from 1711; good-looking is from 1780; good-natured first recorded 1577. Good sport is from 1917; good to go is attested from 1989. mid-13c., morn, morewen (see morn) + suffix -ing, on pattern of evening. Originally the time just before sunrise. Morning after "hangover" is from 1884; as a type of contraception, attested from 1867. Morning sickness first recorded 1879 (O.E. had morgenwlætung). Morning glory is from 1814, in reference to the time the flowers open. Morning star "Venus in the east before sunrise" is from 1530s (O.E. had morgensteorra).
