Talk:gisle

RFV discussion: October–November 2021

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gisle

Can't find it. Doubt its existence MooreDoor (talk) 16:51, 24 October 2021 (UTC)

This looks like old Anglo-Saxon (not even middle English). I can find a couple of uses in glosses of older works:

• 1981, Daniel Gillmore Calder, Cynewulf, page 122:

  They now know he does possess the answers to her questions, and they eagerly give him as a “hostage” (gisle, 600a) to save their own lives.

• 1991, Marie Nelson, Judith, Juliana, and Elene: Three Fighting Saints, page 200:

  With Judas, who is given to Elene as a "gisle" (600, hostage), the case is different.

but I am inclined to say this is not modern English. Kiwima (talk) 02:27, 29 October 2021 (UTC)

It did survive till Middle English as gisel, ȝisle with the meaning of "hostage". No clue where the "pledge" definition comes from though. Leasnam (talk) 20:26, 31 October 2021 (UTC)

RFV-failed Kiwima (talk) 04:27, 26 November 2021 (UTC)