Linguaphiles

No? Your bad. I still talk about it ^^

Language changes all the time and two German words are a good example to illustrate one way this can happen. I speak of Frau (woman) and Weib (trull).

The Modern High German word Frau comes from Middle High German vrouwe, which stems from Old High German frouwe. The Germanic word from which this stems, is lost, but we know that it was a very old word for “Herr” (lord), a version of Frejya. Interesting enough. But it continues. Vrouwe was at it’s time a word for noble women.

The Modern High German word Weib on the other hand stems from Old High German wîb, Middle High German wîp and a more fitting translation would be the English wife, because both words have the same Indoeuropean origin. Wîp was at it’s time the word for all female persons, especially married housewives; that’s literally what this word means.

If you call someone a Weib nowadays it’s an insult (that’s why I first translated it first with trull). The word therefore changed it’s meaning to a worsened version and also became more specific in its meaning, since it now only applies to a very specific group of female persons.

Frau now is the opposite. That word now is used for all female persons therefore it has broadened its meaning. It became less specific and changed its meaning.