Pursuing the Origin of the American English Informalism <i>gitney ~ jitney</i>:  On the Alleged Louisiana French Word <i>*jetnée</i> and the Fallacy of omne ignotum pro magnifico in Etymological Research

GOLD, David L.

Document Details :

Title: Pursuing the Origin of the American English Informalism gitney ~ jitney
Subtitle: On the Alleged Louisiana French Word *jetnée and the Fallacy of omne ignotum pro magnifico in Etymological Research
Author(s): GOLD, David L.
Journal: Leuvense Bijdragen - Leuven Contributions in Linguistics and Philology
Volume: 102 Date: 2018-2020
Pages: 383-417
DOI: 10.2143/LB.102.0.3288703

Abstract :
The author’s first treatment of the informal American English noun gitney ~ jitney /ˈǧɪtni/ 1. ‘five-cent coin’. 2. ‘[sum of] five cents’ concludes that (1) no evidence supports the suggestion that the word is of Russian origin or the suggestion that it is of Yidish origin and (2) evidence speaks against both suggestions. He mentions another etymology suggested for gitney ~ jitney (namely, that it comes from the alleged French noun *jetnée) but does not go into detail. The present article delves deeper into that suggestion and it also examines Stephen Goranson’s recently suggested etymology of gitney ~ jitney, namely, < earlier American English jetney ‘?’ < French *jetnée.

Download article