Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Commune

Commune \kuh-MYOON\ , verb;
1. To converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity, intimacy, etc.; interchange thoughts or feelings
2. To be in intimate communication or rapport
\KOM-yoon\ , noun;
1. Interchange of ideas or sentiments

The verb version of this word dates to the 1300's as "have dealings with" from Old French comuner ("to make common, share"), which derives from comun ("common, general, free, open, public"). The French words came from Latin communis ("in common, public, general"), which ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European *ko-moin-i- ("held in common"), a combination of *ko- + *moi-n- ("together" + "change, exchange").
The noun version's etymology is a bit different. It is first attested in 1792 from French commune ("small territorial divisions set up after the Revolution"), which was adapted from Middle French commune ("free city, group of citizens"). That commune comes from Middle Latin communia, which was the neuter plural of  communis.

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