gnoe

Forms

gnoe m (plural gnoes, diminutive gnoetje n)^[1]

Etymology

Van Veen & Van der Sijs and Van der Sijs's loanword dictionary take it from German: borrowed from German Gnu.^[2][3][4] The WNT holds that the language Dutch took it from is uncertain.^[5] It goes back to Khoekhoe !nu, which the WNT gives as Hottentot ⟨ngu⟩;^[1][5][6] De Vries & De Tollenaere think the Khoekhoe word may come from a Bushman language.^[1][5][6]

The animal was first named in English as ⟨gnoo⟩ in 1777, by the German-born traveller Georg Forster in his book on a voyage round the world, and the German translation rendered it ⟨gnu⟩;^[5] French has ⟨nou⟩ (1775), ⟨gnoo⟩ (1778) and ⟨gnou⟩ (1782).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word is first recorded in 1778, as gnou, in the journal of Plettenberg's journey in South Africa.^[6][5]

Semantic evolution

Older forms are gnou, gnu and once gnous.^[5] Van der Sijs dates the word to 1803, and De Vries & De Tollenaere give gnoe from 1825.^[4][6] The WNT names it as a zoological term and lists the synonyms wildebeest, hertepaard and hertestier.^[5] Afrikaans has ghnoe or wildebees.^[6] Etymonline takes English gnu from the Dutch word, and Van der Sijs lists it as borrowed through Afrikaans.^[7][8]

Timeline

• 1778 – Gnou is first recorded, in a travel journal.^[6][5]
• 1803 – Van der Sijs's first date for the word.^[4]
• 1825 – The spelling gnoe is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. A gnu or wildebeest, a large African antelope that lives in herds.^[9][10][1]

Related words

• wildebeest
• English gnu

Usage notes

The WNT distinguishes two species, the white-tailed gnu (Connochaetes gnou) and the blue gnu (Connochaetes taurinus).^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
3. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2005), Groot leenwoordenboek, Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale
4. ^ a b c Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Vries, Matthias de; Winkel, L. A. te, et al. (1882–1998), Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, 29 vols., 's-Gravenhage / Leiden: Nijhoff / Sijthoff / SDU; supplement 2001; gtb.ivdnt.org
6. ^ a b c d e f g Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 146
7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
9. ^ Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
10. ^ Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org