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Wed 30 Mar, 2005 07:17 am
Hi guys,
Here is something I find interesting. I looked up in two dictionaries for the verb form of the word 'gift'. Neither of them had it. But the worb gift is being used as as a verb so often!!
I wish to know what the native speakers think about this. I know there are expression like: he is a gifted child. But , "gifted" here functions as an adjective. I wonder if it's natural to hear sentences like "I gifted him with a shirt" or "I gifted him a shirt"
thanks
I don't know where you looked up, but there's certainly the transitive verb
Quote:gift
Pronunciation: "
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -ed/-ing/-s
1 : to endow with some power, quality, or attribute : INVEST <the Lord gifted him with the power of forceful speech>
2 a chiefly Britain : to make a gift of <gifted the money in memory of his uncle -- British Agric. Bulletin> <I hear Her Excellency's gifted the land -- Kamala Markandaya> b : to present with a gift : PRESENT <generously gifted us with a copy -- Saturday Review> <gifted his parents with a television set -- Sydney (Australia) Sunday Telegraph> <gifted her with a large heart-shaped diamond -- Louella Parsons>
Quote:[from the noun 'gift']Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse gift, gipt; akin to Old English & Old High German gift, Gothic fragifts bestowal, betrothal; derivative from the root of Old English giefan to give -- more at GIVE
source: Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster, 2002
In the States, "gift" as a verb has inexplicably limited usage when referring to the giving of physical goods. Typically, it is only heard in referring to monetary endowments to an institution or, humorously, as in "re-gifted"-- the phenomenon of passing along an unwanted gift as a gift to another recipient.
"Gift" and "gifted" may be used as verbs, but they sound really clunky.
Why not:
"gave her a large heart-shaped diamond"?
"Gift" as a verb has an archaic flavor.
The word/concept is very useful for historical novels--and historical romances.
Means poison in German, doesn't it, Walter?
roger wrote:Means poison in German, doesn't it, Walter?
Well, I do like gifts - but only in the English sense.
Walter--
What about Greeks bearing gifts?
There's an interesting book by a man named Marcel Mauss (I believe I have his name right) on the use of the gift in tribal societies.
You certainly are correct :wink:
« Essai sur ledon » (1924) [= Das Geschenk (1925), The gift (1954)]is said to be his main uvre: "a groundbreaking study of the relation between forms of exchange and social structure".
Walter -- I knew you'd respond to the note about Mauss.
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