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How did con- + sign semantically shift 🡲 to this modern sense in Commerce? Why did con- + sign shift so radically, but NOT 'sign'? In Modern English, "sign" alone doesn't possess this Comm...
Question
etymology
#5: Post edited
by
PSTHâ€
·
2022-08-17T06:23:21Z (over 2 years ago)
1. How did _con- + sign_ semantically shift to this modern sense in Commerce?- 2. Why did _con- + sign_ shift so radically, but NOT 'sign'? In Modern English, "sign" alone doesn't possess this Commerce sense.
- >[10. _Commerce_. To deliver or transmit (goods) for sale or custody: usually implying their transit by ship, railway, or other public carrier.](https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/39611)
- >### consign (v.) [[on Etymonline]](https://www.etymonline.com/word/consign#etymonline_v_18239)
- >
- >mid-15c. (implied in _consigned_), "to ratify or certify by a sign or seal," from French _consigner_ (15c.)
- and directly from Latin _consignare_ "to seal, register," originally "to mark with a sign,"
- from assimilated form of _com_ "with, together" (see [con-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/con-?ref=etymonline_crossreference "Etymology, meaning and definition of con- "))
- \+ _signare_ "to sign, mark," from _signum_ "identifying mark, sign" (see [sign](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sign?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_23500 "Etymology, meaning and definition of sign ") (n.)).
- >
- >Meaning "deliver into the possession of another" is from 1520s. **Specific commercial sense "to transmit to another in trust for sale or custody" is from 1650s. [boldening mine]**
- 1. How did _con- + sign_ semantically shift 🡲 to this modern sense in Commerce?
- 2. Why did _con- + sign_ shift so radically, but NOT 'sign'? In Modern English, "sign" alone doesn't possess this Commerce sense.
- >[10. _Commerce_. To deliver or transmit (goods) for sale or custody: usually implying their transit by ship, railway, or other public carrier.](https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/39611)
- >### consign (v.) [[on Etymonline]](https://www.etymonline.com/word/consign#etymonline_v_18239)
- >
- >mid-15c. (implied in _consigned_), "to ratify or certify by a sign or seal," from French _consigner_ (15c.)
- and directly from Latin _consignare_ "to seal, register," originally "to mark with a sign,"
- from assimilated form of _com_ "with, together" (see [con-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/con-?ref=etymonline_crossreference "Etymology, meaning and definition of con- "))
- \+ _signare_ "to sign, mark," from _signum_ "identifying mark, sign" (see [sign](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sign?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_23500 "Etymology, meaning and definition of sign ") (n.)).
- >
- >Meaning "deliver into the possession of another" is from 1520s. **Specific commercial sense "to transmit to another in trust for sale or custody" is from 1650s. [boldening mine]**
#4: Post edited
by
PSTHâ€
·
2022-08-17T06:22:27Z (over 2 years ago)
What semantic notions underlie 'con-" + 'sign' 🡺 with "deliver or transmit (goods) for sale or custody"?
- What semantic notions underlie 'con-' + 'sign' 🡺 with "deliver or transmit (goods) for sale or custody"?
#3: Post edited
by
PSTHâ€
·
2022-08-17T06:20:25Z (over 2 years ago)
How did _con- + signing_ semantically shift to this modern sense in Commerce? Particularly when "sign" itself doesn't appear to have semantically shifted thus?- >[10. _Commerce_. To deliver or transmit (goods) for sale or custody: usually implying their transit by ship, railway, or other public carrier.](https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/39611)
- >### consign (v.) [[on Etymonline]](https://www.etymonline.com/word/consign#etymonline_v_18239)
- >
- >mid-15c. (implied in _consigned_), "to ratify or certify by a sign or seal," from French _consigner_ (15c.)
- and directly from Latin _consignare_ "to seal, register," originally "to mark with a sign,"
- from assimilated form of _com_ "with, together" (see [con-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/con-?ref=etymonline_crossreference "Etymology, meaning and definition of con- "))
- \+ _signare_ "to sign, mark," from _signum_ "identifying mark, sign" (see [sign](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sign?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_23500 "Etymology, meaning and definition of sign ") (n.)).
- >
- >Meaning "deliver into the possession of another" is from 1520s. **Specific commercial sense "to transmit to another in trust for sale or custody" is from 1650s. [boldening mine]**
- 1. How did _con- + sign_ semantically shift to this modern sense in Commerce?
- 2. Why did _con- + sign_ shift so radically, but NOT 'sign'? In Modern English, "sign" alone doesn't possess this Commerce sense.
- >[10. _Commerce_. To deliver or transmit (goods) for sale or custody: usually implying their transit by ship, railway, or other public carrier.](https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/39611)
- >### consign (v.) [[on Etymonline]](https://www.etymonline.com/word/consign#etymonline_v_18239)
- >
- >mid-15c. (implied in _consigned_), "to ratify or certify by a sign or seal," from French _consigner_ (15c.)
- and directly from Latin _consignare_ "to seal, register," originally "to mark with a sign,"
- from assimilated form of _com_ "with, together" (see [con-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/con-?ref=etymonline_crossreference "Etymology, meaning and definition of con- "))
- \+ _signare_ "to sign, mark," from _signum_ "identifying mark, sign" (see [sign](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sign?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_23500 "Etymology, meaning and definition of sign ") (n.)).
- >
- >Meaning "deliver into the possession of another" is from 1520s. **Specific commercial sense "to transmit to another in trust for sale or custody" is from 1650s. [boldening mine]**
#2: Post edited
by
PSTHâ€
·
2022-08-17T06:18:08Z (over 2 years ago)
How did (con)signing semantically shift to this modern sense in Commerce?- >[10. _Commerce_. To deliver or transmit (goods) for sale or custody: usually implying their transit by ship, railway, or other public carrier.](https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/39611)
- >### consign (v.) [[on Etymonline]](https://www.etymonline.com/word/consign#etymonline_v_18239)
- >
- >mid-15c. (implied in _consigned_), "to ratify or certify by a sign or seal," from French _consigner_ (15c.)
- and directly from Latin _consignare_ "to seal, register," originally "to mark with a sign,"
- from assimilated form of _com_ "with, together" (see [con-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/con-?ref=etymonline_crossreference "Etymology, meaning and definition of con- "))
- \+ _signare_ "to sign, mark," from _signum_ "identifying mark, sign" (see [sign](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sign?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_23500 "Etymology, meaning and definition of sign ") (n.)).
- >
- >Meaning "deliver into the possession of another" is from 1520s. **Specific commercial sense "to transmit to another in trust for sale or custody" is from 1650s. [boldening mine]**
- How did _con- + signing_ semantically shift to this modern sense in Commerce? Particularly when "sign" itself doesn't appear to have semantically shifted thus?
- >[10. _Commerce_. To deliver or transmit (goods) for sale or custody: usually implying their transit by ship, railway, or other public carrier.](https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/39611)
- >### consign (v.) [[on Etymonline]](https://www.etymonline.com/word/consign#etymonline_v_18239)
- >
- >mid-15c. (implied in _consigned_), "to ratify or certify by a sign or seal," from French _consigner_ (15c.)
- and directly from Latin _consignare_ "to seal, register," originally "to mark with a sign,"
- from assimilated form of _com_ "with, together" (see [con-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/con-?ref=etymonline_crossreference "Etymology, meaning and definition of con- "))
- \+ _signare_ "to sign, mark," from _signum_ "identifying mark, sign" (see [sign](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sign?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_23500 "Etymology, meaning and definition of sign ") (n.)).
- >
- >Meaning "deliver into the possession of another" is from 1520s. **Specific commercial sense "to transmit to another in trust for sale or custody" is from 1650s. [boldening mine]**
#1: Initial revision
by
PSTHâ€
·
2022-08-17T06:16:41Z (over 2 years ago)
What semantic notions underlie 'con-" + 'sign' 🡺 with "deliver or transmit (goods) for sale or custody"?
How did (con)signing semantically shift to this modern sense in Commerce? >[10. _Commerce_. To deliver or transmit (goods) for sale or custody: usually implying their transit by ship, railway, or other public carrier.](https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/39611) >### consign (v.) [[on Etymonline]](https://www.etymonline.com/word/consign#etymonline_v_18239) > >mid-15c. (implied in _consigned_), "to ratify or certify by a sign or seal," from French _consigner_ (15c.) and directly from Latin _consignare_ "to seal, register," originally "to mark with a sign," from assimilated form of _com_ "with, together" (see [con-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/con-?ref=etymonline_crossreference "Etymology, meaning and definition of con- ")) \+ _signare_ "to sign, mark," from _signum_ "identifying mark, sign" (see [sign](https://www.etymonline.com/word/sign?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_23500 "Etymology, meaning and definition of sign ") (n.)). > >Meaning "deliver into the possession of another" is from 1520s. **Specific commercial sense "to transmit to another in trust for sale or custody" is from 1650s. [boldening mine]**