vocal English · revision 7144

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1395|origins=la vox}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈvəʊ̯.kəl/ ''(UK)''; /ˈvoʊ̯.kəl/, /ˈvɔʊ̯.kəl/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|vocal]] and directly [[bor|la|vocalis|t=sounding, speaking; as a noun, a vowel]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|la|vox|t=voice]] (genitive vocis) (see [[voice]]),^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from PIE [[ine-pro|*wekʷ-|t=to speak]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of prayer, spoken, as opposed to mental: before 1395 in the OED, before 1396 in Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Hoad notes the word was rare before the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986) Of music performed by the voice, as opposed to instrumental, it is from the 1580s.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Having a voice is from 1601, expressive or eloquent from 1608, and belonging to the voice from 1644.^(Barnhart 1988) Full of sound is in Milton's ''Paradise Lost'' (1667),^(Barnhart 1988) and in phonetics, voiced, from 1688.^(Barnhart 1988) Outspoken, making oneself heard, is attested by 1871,^(Etymonline) and [[vocal cords]] from 1872.^(Etymonline) NODE dates the current senses of the noun, a sung part in popular music, from the 1920s.^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1395 – of spoken prayer.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1580s – of vocal music.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1601 – having a voice.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1871 – outspoken.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1872 – vocal cords.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1920s – a sung part (noun).^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Relating to or produced by the human [[voice]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Expressing opinions freely and forcefully; outspoken.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(often plural)'' The sung part of a piece of popular music.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vocally]]

+ * [[vocalness]]

+ * [[vocality]]

+ * [[vocoid]]

+ * [[vocalism]]

+ * [[vocalist]]

+ * [[vocalize]]

+ * [[vocalise]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vocable]]

+ * [[vocabulary]]

+ * [[vocation]]

+ * [[voice]]

+ * [[vowel]]

+ * [[advocate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}