Talk:silly

Etymology history?

It seems to me there ought to be a little more discussion of the tremendous amount of semantic shift this word has undergone from its OE roots.

• Old English: “blessed”
• 1400: “innocent” (Cely art thou, hooli virgyne marie.)
• 1470: “deserving of compassion” (Sely Scotland, that of helpe has gret neide.)
• 1633: “weak” (Thou onely art The mightie God, but I am a sillie worm.)
• “simple” or “ignorant”
• Today: “foolish”

132.162.218.82 20:10, 30 October 2009 (UTC)

Foolish/Silly

I am not sure that silly means foolish exactly, but something more like goofy or ridiculous in a small or cute way, or something like that, eh? What do you all think? Dudanotak (talk) 22:22, 1 April 2013 (UTC)

It can mean both (and a lot of other things). Equinox ◑ 22:26, 1 April 2013 (UTC)