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==Etymology and Germanic paganism==
==Etymology and Germanic paganism==
The [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#1500-present.09THE_MODERN_ENGLISH_PERIOD modern English] [[language]] term bless likely derives from the 1225 term blessen, which developed from the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] blǣdsian (preserved in the Northumbrian dialect around 950 AD).[1] The term also appears in other forms, such as blēdsian or bldsian (before 830 and derived from Proto-Germanic *blōðisōjanan), blētsian from around 725 and blesian from around 1000, all meaning to make [[sacred]] or [[holy]] by a [[sacrificial]] [[custom]] in the Anglo-Saxon pagan period, originating in Germanic [[paganism]]; to mark with blood.[1] Due to this, the term is related to the term blōd, [[meaning]] blood.[1] References to this indigenous [[practice]], Blót, exist in related Icelandic sources.
The [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#1500-present.09THE_MODERN_ENGLISH_PERIOD modern English] [[language]] term bless likely derives from the 1225 term blessen, which developed from the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] blǣdsian (preserved in the Northumbrian dialect around 950 AD).[1] The term also appears in other forms, such as blēdsian or bldsian (before 830 and derived from Proto-Germanic *blōðisōjanan), blētsian from around 725 and blesian from around 1000, all meaning to make [[sacred]] or [[holy]] by a [[sacrificial]] [[custom]] in the Anglo-Saxon pagan period, originating in Germanic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism paganism]; to mark with blood.[1] Due to this, the term is related to the term blōd, [[meaning]] blood.[1] References to this indigenous [[practice]], Blót, exist in related Icelandic sources.
The modern meaning of the term may have been influenced in [[translations]] of the [[Bible]] into [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] during the [[process]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization Christianization] to [[translate]] the [[Latin]] term benedīcere meaning to "speak well of", resulting in meanings such as to "praise" or "extol" or to speak well of or to wish well.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blessing]
The modern meaning of the term may have been influenced in [[translations]] of the [[Bible]] into [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] during the [[process]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization Christianization] to [[translate]] the [[Latin]] term benedīcere meaning to "speak well of", resulting in meanings such as to "praise" or "extol" or to speak well of or to wish well.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blessing]
