langauge and representation, tracking the history of words

The word 'spinster' was first recorded in 1362, Langland by Piers Plowman. The word comes from the Dutch language, it originally meant a women, sometimes a man although very rarely who spins, e.g. someone who practises spinning as regular occupation. Not so long after the first time 'spinster' was used, in 1380 it was used in Oxford city documents where it was used to link to names of women, originally in order to denote their occupation, but subsequently as the proper legal designation of someone who is unmarried. In 1636 it was first used in a slightly different context by Brideoake, it was used to refer to a spider or other insect that spin, this is rare. Finally, the last change of the denotation of 'spinster' was in 1817 by Scott Rob Ray. It was used to describe a women who was past the usual age of marriage.

The word 'bachelor' was first recorded in 1297 by R Gloucester. It originally meant when a man was in tarining to become a knight. The etymology of the word was Italy and France, not so long after the first use of the word, the denotation had changed. In 1386 it was used by Chaucer to desribe an unmarried man of a marriagable age. It was later on used in 1609 by Sir T Smith, the meaning of the word slighlty changed to a knight of the lowest but most ancient order, he would of had the full title of a gentleman who has been knighted. Through my research i have depicted that there the lexical 'bachelor' has carried many different meanings from the first use of the word up until the most recent. Moving on from these aged denotations of the word, one of  the most recent new use of the word was in 1959 when it was used in the term 'bachelor pad' in Chicago.

The word 'madam' was first recorded in 1300 by an Oxford student called Harl, the meaning of the word was a form of politeful address originally used by servants when speaking to their mistresses and people in gerneral speaking to women of a high rank. The etymology of the word was from France. Later on, in 1854, Northhamptonshire tje emaning of the word changed to being used in anger or contempt. Finally one of the most recent recording of the change in the meaning of the word was in 1952, when it was used in the term 'madam shop'. This refers to a small shop which sells fashionable ready-to-wear clothes for affluent women of mature taste.

The word 'master' was first recorded in OE by King Alfred, the original meaning of the word was a person predominantly, a man having authority, direction or control over the action of another or other people. The etymology of the lexical 'master' was borrowed from Latin. Furthernore in 1536 the meaning of the word changed to the head or master of a household or house, this was used by M Bryan. Similar this still correlates with the first meaning of the word, for a man to have aurthority or control, t has just transfered to control over property.  I have depicted that through my research there has been numerous changes in the meaning of the word, although only slightly with all of the different meanings of the word still denoting authroity and control. The most recent change in the meaning of the word was in 1993, 'master-servant'. This is just referring to a situation when there is a master and a servant.