show

Forms

show n (plural show-uri)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from English show, a recent anglicism.^{[2][3][4][5][1]} It keeps the English spelling.^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

MDA2 dates the word from the Mic dicționar enciclopedic of 1972, in the sense of a variety show built around a famous performer.^[3][4] Dimitrescu quotes it from the press in 1974, in the plural show-urile.^[6]

Semantic evolution

DN defines it as a variety show with music, dances and comic sketches carried by a music-hall actor, a singer or a band.^[5] Marcu adds the sense of a pop music recital and the compound show-business.^[7] DEX 2009 extends it to the performance of a politician or head of state.^[2] In colloquial use it also means a scandal, a circus.^[3][8]

Timeline

• 1972 – first record, in the Mic dicționar enciclopedic.^[3]
• 1974 – show-urile in the press.^[6]
• 1980 – in Breban's dictionary.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A variety show built around a star or a band.^[2][5][1]
2. (figurative) A showy performance by a politician or public figure: Conferința de presă a fost un show.^[2]
3. (colloquial) A scandal, a commotion.^[3][8]

Usage notes

It is pronounced șou, and its plural is written show-uri (also showuri).^[2][4]

References

1. ^ a b c 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. 1013
3. ^ 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. 2, 880
4. ^ a b c Academia Română (1965–2010), Dicționarul limbii române (DLR), serie nouă, tom I–XIX, București: Editura Academiei Române, p. s.v. show
5. ^ a b c d Marcu, Florin; Maneca, Constant (1986), Dicționar de neologisme, 3rd ed., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste România
6. ^ a b Dimitrescu, Florica (1997), Dicționar de cuvinte recente, 2nd ed., București: Logos (with the 3rd ed., 2013, in CLRE)
7. ^ Marcu, Florin (2000), Marele dicționar de neologisme, București: Saeculum Vizual
8. ^ a b Volceanov, George (2007), Dicționar de argou al limbii române, București: Niculescu
9. ^ Breban, Vasile (1980), Dicționar al limbii române contemporane de uz curent, București: Editura Științifică și Enciclopedică