Middle English Dictionary Entry
ȝ n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ȝ n. |
| Etymology | In ME, ȝ is called ȝogh(e, ȝouȝ(e, ȝouh, ȝok, ȝoch(e, ȝoux, ȝou & yogh, yough, yoȝ, yowh, youx & iogh, (?error) iye. Words beginning with ȝ will normally be found under I or Y. Occasional forms with initial ȝ turn up under G, H, J, and the vowels. In later ME script, ȝ and z are indistinguishable in form; the practice of the MED is to distinguish these consonants on the basis of historical data. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The letter ȝ in ME script [see Paues in MLR 6.441-54]; (b) as abbrev. for a name; (c) an error for the Tironian sign for and or et.
Associated quotations
a
- a1275 Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)p.31 : Iye [?read: i. yo] /ȝ.
- a1300 in James Cat.MSS McC.266 : Yoȝ/ȝ: ȝef, ȝus, ȝender, draȝ, sclaȝ, arȝ, marȝ.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)71/27 : Þir foure letters hafe þai mare þan we hafe for diuersitee of þaire langage, by cause þai speke so in þaire throtes; as we hafe in oure speche in Ingland twa oþer letters þan þai hafe in þaire abce, þat es to say, þ and ȝ, whilk er called þorn and ȝok [vrr. ȝogh(e, ȝouȝ, ȝowȝe, ȝouh, ȝoch(e, ȝoux, ȝou, ȝow, yough, yowh, youx; F ȝogh; vrr. ȝok, yogh, iogh].
- c1425 in MLR 6442 : Summe writen .g.h. in summe wordis, whiche wordis ben writen of summe oȝere with a yogh þat is figured þus .ȝ.; as sum man writeþ þus þese termes, doughter, thought, where anoþer writiþ hem þus, douȝter, thouȝt. But for as miche as þe carect yogh, þat is to seie .ȝ., is figurid lijk a zed, ȝerfore alle þe wordis of þis table þat biginnen wiþ þat carect ben set in zed, which is þe laste lettre of þe a. b. c.
- (?a1440) Thomas of Elmham Liber Metricus de Henrico Quinto in RS 11105 : Ricardus syllabicatur per primas literas dictionum, et Yorc in cor, remota prima litera c, ut ultima apponatur; praeposita litera Anglica, scilicet ȝ quae 'jugum' sonat.
b
- c1460 Erly in a someristide (Dub 432)154/15,25 : Ȝ. E. R. E. writen affter brute..ȝ for ȝorke, þat is manly and myȝtfull.
- c1460 Erly in a someristide (Dub 432)155/25 : A .ȝ. for yorke.
c
- a1350 SLeg.Blase (LdMisc 108)22 : He wenten ȝ tolde þe Iustise al þat þei seye þere.
- a1350 SLeg.Blase (LdMisc 108)91 : Þei ȝeden ȝ gadereden of þe blod.