aye English · revision 15240
17 Oct 2026, 15:53 by bogdan “en10k b0429: trim … liable” current version
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+ Aye, ever, is from Old Norse; aye, yes, is a word of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /eɪ/^(Wiktionary)
+
+ {{homograph|1|ever}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1200|origins=ine-pro *aiw-}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ Aye, ever, is [[inh|enm|ai]], [[bor|non|ei|t=ever]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) cognate with [[ang|ā|t=always]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[gem-pro|*aiwi]], from [[ine-pro|*aiw-|t=vital force, life, eternity]], also the source of [[grc|αἰών|tr=aiṓn|t=age, eternity]] and [[la|aevum|t=age]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Always, ever: about 1200.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It survives in poetry and in phrases such as ''for aye'', and in Scottish and northern dialect for always or continually.^(AHD)^(Wright 1898)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 1200 – aye, ever.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Adverb===
+ # ''(archaic or poetic)'' Always; [[ever]].^(AHD)^(Wright 1898)
+
+ {{homograph|2|yes}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=1576}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ Aye, yes, is of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) It may be an alteration of Middle English [[m|enm|yai]], a variant of ye, ya (see [[yea]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline) or the pronoun [[I]], expressing assent;^(NODE 1998)^(Etymonline) Etymonline also mentions aye, ever.^(Etymonline) Hoad compares [[ofs|ay]].^(Hoad 1986)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Yes, as an answer to a question: 1576, spelled I, in the OED, Barnhart and Merriam-Webster.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) It was written I from the 16th to the 18th century, later ai, ay and ey,^(Hoad 1986) ay in 1714;^(Barnhart 1988) aye was not common before the 19th century.^(Hoad 1986)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ The noun, an affirmative answer or vote, is from 1589,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) and ''the ayes'' are those who vote for a motion.^(OED 1989)^(AHD) ''Aye aye'' is a seaman's reply of compliance, and in British use an expression of amused surprise.^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1576 – I, yes.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * 1589 – an affirmative vote.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * 1669 – spelled aye (noun).^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Adverb===
+ # Yes; [[yea]]: archaic or dialectal except in voting by voice.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ===Noun===
+ # A vote in favour, or a person who votes in favour: ''the ayes have it''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[yea]]
+ * [[yes]]
+ * [[ever]]
+ * [[age]]
+ * [[eon]]
+
+ ==Usage notes==
+ Aye, yes, is in common dialect use in Scotland, Ireland and the northern counties of England, and in parts of the Midlands and the south.^(Wright 1898)
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}