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From: "Paul J. Kriha" <kriha_p@actrix.gen.nz>
Subject: Re: Boy??
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Date: Sun, 5 Feb 1995 04:09:01 GMT
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Jorma Kyppo <jorma@jytko.jyu.fi> wrote:
>
> Does anyone know the etymology for the English word boy?
> 
> Finnish language has through the centuries taken many loans from
> the neighbouring languages (as the languages use to do) and the only
> international Finnish word I know is "sauna". And then there's
> "tundra", that originates to Sami-language.
> 
> Now I would just like to check up a funny theory I read in one of
> books of Lennart Meri (present preisdent of Estonia). It said
> that the English word "boy" could originate to Finnish word "poika"
> and has floated with vikings (Swedish "pojke") to England.
> 
> is there any sense in this?

According to my Collins ED:

C13 of uncertain origin, perhaps related to
Old English Bo-ia (man's name); from Old High
German Buobo (man's name).

Pjk

