bănuială

Forms

bănuială f (plural bănuieli)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Romanian bănui + -eală, an abstract noun of the verb.^[2][3][1][4] The verb bănui is from Hungarian bán (“to regret, be sorry”), according to DELR, Ciorănescu and MDA2.^[2][5][4] Ciorănescu adds that the Hungarian verb also passed into Ukrainian банувати (banuvaty) and the Bulgarian of Transylvania.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Tiktin and DELR date the first record to 1602, in a Wallachian document of the 17th-century collection DIR B.^[6][2] The old texts use it for “regret” as well as for “suspicion”: the 1700 Floarea darurilor defines it as thinking something bad of another.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The word followed its verb, whose old sense was “to be sorry, to regret”.^[2] The Transylvanian texts of the 18th century still use bănuială for “regret”: a 1764 text advises spending with mercy, when needed, fără bănuială “without regret”.^[7] MDA2 lists “regret”, “repentance”, “grumbling” and “reproach” among its regional or old senses, and envy and jealousy beside them.^[4] Tiktin quotes it for “grudge” and “reproach” in 19th-century writers.^[6]

The modern senses are “supposition, inkling” and “suspicion”.^[3] The phrase nu-ți fie cu bănuială “don't take it amiss” keeps the old sense of offence.^[8][9]

Timeline

• 1602 – first record, in a Wallachian document.^[2][6]
• 1652 – in the Wallachian law code, the Pravila.^[4]
• 1688 – in the Bucharest Bible, at 2 Maccabees 7:24 and 12:4.^[10]
• 1691–1697 – bănuitor “suspicious”.^[2]
• 1700 – in Floarea darurilor, defined as thinking ill of another.^[7]
• 1862 – bănuielnic “suspicious; doubtful” in Pontbriant's dictionary.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A supposition, an inkling or presentiment.^[3]
2. suspicion: distrust of someone or something, the thought that someone is guilty or means harm: Bănuiala a căzut asupra vecinului.^[3][1]
3. (colloquial) A reproach addressed to someone.^[11]
4. (regional) jealousy.^[9]

Related words

• bănat

Usage notes

Set phrases: a avea bănuieli “to suspect”, a intra la bănuială “to begin to suspect”, a scoate pe cineva din bănuieli “to dispel someone's suspicions”.^[4] The old plural bănuiele is also recorded.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2011–), Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române (DELR), vol. I: A–B (2011), vol. II: C (2015–2018), București: Editura Academiei Române; continued online at delr.lingv.ro, p. s.v. bănui
3. ^ a b c d DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 95
4. ^ a b c d e Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 1, 182
5. ^ a b Ciorănescu, Alexandru (1958–1966), Diccionario etimológico rumano, La Laguna: Universidad de La Laguna (Romanian ed.: Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române, București: Saeculum, 2001), p. s.v. bănui
6. ^ a b c Tiktin, Hariton (2000–2005), Rumänisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., revised by Paul Miron and Elsa Lüder, 3 vols., Cluj-Napoca: Clusium, p. s.v. bănuială
7. ^ a b c Costinescu, Mariana; Georgescu, Magdalena; Zgraon, Florentina (1987), Dicționarul limbii române literare vechi (1640–1780): termeni regionali, București: Editura Științifică și Enciclopedică, p. 1, 67
8. ^ Macrea, Dimitrie; Petrovici, Emil (coord.) (1955–1957), Dicționarul limbii romîne literare contemporane, 4 vols., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, p. 1, 217
9. ^ a b c Dima, Eugenia (coord.) (2007), Dicționar explicativ ilustrat al limbii române, Chișinău: Arc / Gunivas
10. ^ Biblia, adecă Dumnezeiasca Scriptură a ceii vechi și a ceii noao leage, București, 1688 (ed. 1988, tricentennial edition), p. 2 Macc 7:24
11. ^ Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2002), Noul dicționar explicativ al limbii române, București: Litera Internațional, p. s.v. bănuială