View Message

The Anglo-Saxon word Blæd had the intransitive verb meaning of prosperity or glory (ie. without subject, as glory in 'glory to God' not as in the noun of glory or praise, that was 'wuldor'), only one of many meanings. It's most significant use was 'blowing, blast' or 'breath'. Also transitively for 'inspiration, life' and intransitively for 'riches' and 'plenty'. It had the additional meanings of 'shoot', 'flower', 'fruit', 'harvest' and 'crops'. As a noun, Blæd meant 'leaf' or 'blade (of an oar)'. This is why most English speakers today would think 'blade of grass' or a knife blade...our language isn't really that far from Anglo-Saxon in many ways, just richer.

---

Devon