gwine

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Phonetic rendition of going; compare Gullah gwine.

This particular form apparently results from the vocalic sequence in going (Early Modern English /ˈɡoː.ɪŋ/, /ˈɡoː.ɪn/) coalescing into a diphthong that was identified with reflexes of Middle English /ui̯/, which developed into /waɪ/ in some dialects; compare English traditional dialect pronunciations of point and toil as /ˈpwaɪnt/, /ˈtwaɪl/ (see twile). In other dialects, Middle English /ui̯/ instead developed into /aɪ/, resulting in the form gine; compare bile (boil), heist, rile.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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gwine

  1. (archaic, especially African-American Vernacular) present participle of go
    • 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe, chapter 21, in Uncle Tom's Cabin:
      Well, I want spectin nothin; only Sam, he's a gwine to de river with some colts, and he said I could go long with him; so I jes put my things together.
    • 1921, Emilie Benson Knipe, Alden Arthur Knipe, Diantha's Quest, New York: The Macmillan company, page 78:
      “Come on, you Snowflake,” he called, cracking his long whip. “You're gwine to get your sugar, but you-all is gwine to earn it first.”

Usage notes

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  • Though this word is especially associated with traditional African-American Vernacular English, it was also found in the speech of white US Southerners, New Englanders and speakers of the traditional dialects of Southern England.

Descendants

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  • Gullah: gwine

Anagrams

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Gullah

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Etymology

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Inherited from dialectal early Modern English gwine.

Verb

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gwine

  1. present participle of go
  2. going to