Bears and why they mostly are called otherwise

[Dr. John E. McLaughlin]

[Lieven Marchand wrote]

> What's the story with bruin/brown in English?

> bruin is the word for brown in Dutch and according to Merriam-Webster
> bruin in English is an (obsolete?) word for bear borrowed from the
> Middle-Dutch animal fable "Van den vos Reynaerde". Also according to
> M-W brown has the following etymology:
> Middle English broun, from Old English brun; akin to Old High German
> brun brown, Greek phrynE toad while the entry for bear states:
> Middle English bere, from Old English bera; akin to Old English brun
> brown.

Thanks for the correction about 'bruin'.  I think that once we take 'bruin'
out of the picture, then 'brown' in Modern English has clearly become a
basic color term.

> The two words bear and brown were distinct in Reynaerde:
> Dies was die coninc sciere beraden
> Dat hi dus sprac te Bruun den beere:

> I think at least in Dutch bruin is a basic color term.

John E. McLaughlin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
mclasutt at brigham.net

Program Director
Utah State University On-Line Linguistics
http://english.usu.edu/lingnet

English Department
3200 Old Main Hill
Utah State University
Logan, UT  84322-3200

(435) 797-2738 (voice)
(435) 797-3797 (fax)