The history of the word "very"

 

 

Tell me the history of the word "very"

The little word "very" packs a big punch, and its history is quite fascinating! Here's a journey through its evolution:

Roots in Truth:

• It all starts in the 13th century with Middle English "verray" or "verrai," meaning "true, real, genuine." This comes from Old French "verai," and ultimately traces back to Latin "verus," also meaning "true."
• So, "very" originally carried the weight of truth and authenticity.

Shifting Gears:

• By the late 14th century, "verray" started developing a new meaning: "actual, sheer." This laid the groundwork for the modern sense of "greatly, extremely."
• The full-fledged shift to intensifying adjectives and adverbs happened around the mid-15th century.

Reaching its Peak:

• By the Middle English period, "very" became a pure intensifier, emphasizing qualities and actions. It could modify both adjectives and adverbs.
• This versatility and increasing use cemented its place as one of the most common and essential words in English.

Interesting Trivia:

• "Very" wasn't the only contender for intensifying words. Old English had alternatives like "sin-" (from Proto-Indo-European "sem-"), "fela/fela-," and "swith," but "very" eventually won the competition.
• Even today, we see remnants of these alternatives in words like "single" (from "sin-" ) and "fellow" (from "fela" ).

In Conclusion:

"Very" started as a humble word denoting truth, but through semantic shifts and competition, it transformed into a powerful intensifier, shaping the nuances of our language. Its journey reveals the dynamic nature of language, where words can morph and adapt to the needs of communication.

I hope this little trip through history shed some light on the curious case of "very"!