tag English · revision 5293
16 Oct 2026, 02:10 by bogdan “en10k b0193: enforcement … tag (spoken skipped)” current version
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+ Tag, a label or small hanging piece, and tag, the children's chasing game, are different words.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /tæɡ/^(Roach et al. 2011)
+
+ {{homograph|1|label}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=1402|origins=non tagg}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[inh|enm|tagge]], of uncertain origin,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian and Swedish tagg “point, barb, prickle”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline) Middle Low German tagge “twig, spike” may be related.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) Watkins derives it from [[ine-pro|*dek-]], a root for fringes and locks of hair, so that it may be related to [[tail]].^(Etymonline) Word Origins suggests a link with Middle English dag, of similar meaning.^(Cresswell 2021)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ A narrow hanging strip of a garment, slashed for decoration: 1402 in the OED, before 1400 in Barnhart, about 1400 in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) It is found as a surname from 1195.^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ The metal point at the end of a lace is from 1501–2,^(OED 1989) an ornamental pendant from 1570,^(OED 1989) and the tip of an animal's tail from 1681.^(OED 1989) Something added to a piece of writing, a brief quotation, is from the 18th century.^(Hoad 1986) A label with directions on a package is by 1835,^(Etymonline) a vehicle licence plate from 1935, originally American underworld slang,^(Etymonline) and an epithet or nickname from 1961, hence the slang verb “to write graffiti”, from 1990.^(Etymonline) The verb, to furnish with a tag, is from the early 15th century,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) to mark with a tag from the 1620s,^(Etymonline) and to follow closely from the 1670s, with ''tag along'' by 1900.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1195 – as a surname.^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * 1402 – a hanging strip of cloth.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1501–2 – the point of a lace.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1835 – a label.^(Etymonline)
+ * 1935 – a licence plate.^(Etymonline)
+ * 1990 – to write graffiti.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A small piece of paper, cloth or plastic attached to something, giving information about it; a [[label]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # An electronic device fixed to someone or something so that it can be tracked.^(Collins 2023)
+ # A word or phrase used to describe someone.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # The metal or plastic tip at the end of a shoelace.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # A signature or name sprayed as graffiti.^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ===Verb===
+ # To attach a tag or label to something.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # ''tag along'': to go somewhere with someone, often uninvited.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # To add something at the end.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ {{homograph|2|game}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=1738}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is of unknown origin,^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) perhaps a variant of Scottish tig “touch, tap” (1721), probably an alteration of Middle English tek, tik “touch, tap”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is not an acronym.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The children's game in which one player chases and tries to touch the others: 1738.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ The verb, to touch with the hand, is American English from 1878,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) and in baseball, to put out a runner by touching him with the ball, it is by 1912.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1738 – the game.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * 1878 – verb, to touch.^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * 1912 – in baseball.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A children's game in which one player chases the others and tries to touch them.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ===Verb===
+ # To touch a player in the game of tag, or a runner in [[baseball]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[tig]]
+ * [[tick]]
+ * [[tail]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}