personal English · revision 2544

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1387 (Trevisa)|origins=la persōna}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈpɜː.sən.əl/, US /ˈpɝː.sən.əl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|personal]], [[bor|fro|personal]] (also [[m|fro|personel]], modern [[m|fr|personnel]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from [[la-lat|persōnālis|t=pertaining to a person]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) from [[la|persōna]], the source of [[person]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) It is related to [[personnel]], [[personality]] and [[personify]].^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of or concerning the individual person or self; private: 1387, in Trevisa's translation of Higden's ''Polychronicon''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “Done or made in person” is from about 1388.^(OED 1989) “Relating to a person's body”, as in ''personal hygiene'', is from 1591,^(OED 1989) and “having an individual person as object” from 1614.^(OED 1989) The sense “aimed at a particular person”, usually in a hostile way, as in ''personal remarks'', came later.^(Etymonline)^(AHD) In grammar, ''personal pronoun'' refers to the grammatical person.^(AHD) An official attached to one's person, such as a ''personal assistant'', is from 1928.^(OED 1989) The noun, a personal notice in a newspaper, is from 1861.^(MW Collegiate) ''Personality'' is from before 1425, in Wycliffe's writings, meaning the quality of being a person.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1387 – private, of an individual (Trevisa).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1388 – done in person.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1425 – ''personality''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1591 – of the body.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1614 – directed at an individual.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1861 – noun, a personal notice.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1928 – ''personal assistant'' sense.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or belonging to a particular person; private.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Done or made in person: ''a personal appearance''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Concerning a person's private affairs; intimate.^(AHD)

+ # Aimed at a person's character or affairs, usually offensively: ''personal remarks''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Of the body: ''personal hygiene''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(grammar)'' Indicating grammatical person: ''personal pronoun''.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A personal notice in a newspaper, or (''personals'') a column of such notices.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[personalness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[personalia]]

+ * [[personality]]

+ * [[personally]]

+ * [[personnel]]

+ * [[person]]

+ * [[personify]]

+ * [[personalty]]

+ * [[impersonal]]

+ * [[interpersonal]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}