jazz

Forms

jazz n (uncountable)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from English jazz, with French jazz as a second source, as DEX and Wiktionary give it.^[2][1] Marcu & Maneca name French, English and American English together.^[3] The DLR says the word came into the language with the music itself, from about 1918 on.^[4]

French took the word from American English: the form jass is recorded in 1916, jezz in 1918 and the present spelling from 1920.^[5] The origin of the American word is obscure: an African word and the name of a musician, Jasbo Brown, are among the proposals.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in Cezar Petrescu's novel Întunecare (1928), where jazzbandul “the jazz band” howls.^[6][4]

Semantic evolution

The DLR described jazz as a style with syncopation and a wild rhythm, and also used the word for a band that plays it, the jazzband.^[4] DEX keeps both senses: the music, which spread from the United States after the late 19th century, and the band of wind and percussion instruments.^[2]

Timeline

• 1928 – jazzband in Cezar Petrescu's Întunecare.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. jazz: a style of music that arose among African Americans in North America at the end of the 19th century, marked by syncopation and improvisation.^[2][7]
2. A band of wind and percussion instruments that plays this music; a jazzband.^[2]

Usage notes

The word is also written jaz.^[2][6] It is pronounced /dʒez/ or /dʒaz/.^[2][8]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 564
3. ^ Marcu, Florin; Maneca, Constant (1986), Dicționar de neologisme, 3rd ed., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste România, p. s.v. jaz
4. ^ a b c Academia Română (1965–2010), Dicționarul limbii române (DLR), serie nouă, tom I–XIX, București: Editura Academiei Române, p. s.v. jazz
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 1, 1276
7. ^ Marcu, Florin (2000), Marele dicționar de neologisme, București: Saeculum Vizual, p. s.v. jaz
8. ^ Dima, Eugenia (coord.) (2007), Dicționar explicativ ilustrat al limbii române, Chișinău: Arc / Gunivas, p. s.v. jazz