hers English · revision 10743

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1300|origins=en her}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /hɜːz/, US /hɝːz/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[her]] and the possessive -s (see [['s]]), so it is a double possessive.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The absolute form of the possessive her, used without a following noun: about 1300 as hires.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old and Middle English the predicative and attributive possessives were the same.^(Etymonline) From the late 13th century speakers added -n to predicative my and thy before vowels, which by 1500 was standard as mine and thine;^(Etymonline) the other pronouns took the ordinary possessive -s, giving hers, ours, yours and theirs.^(Etymonline) The dialects of the Midlands and south of England extended -n instead, giving hisn, hern and yourn, from the 14th century.^(Etymonline) ''Of hers'', belonging to her, is from 1478.^(OED 1989) A northern hers meant theirs (about 1340).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – hires.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1340 – hers, theirs (northern).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1478 – of hers.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # The one or ones belonging to or associated with [[her]]: ''the book is hers''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''of hers'': belonging to her.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[her]]

+ * [[his]]

+ * [[theirs]]

+ * [[ours]]

+ * [[yours]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}