現在 show の中心的な語義は「見せる，示す」だが，古英語では基本的に「見る」 を意味した．Hall の古英語辞書で ±scēawian をみると，"look, gaze, see, behold, observe; inspect, examine, scrutinize; have respect to,look favourably on; look out, look for, choose; decree, grant" などの訳語が与えられている．最後の "decree, grant" には現代風の語義の気味も感じられるが，古英語の主たる意味は「見る」だった．
それが，中英語にかけて「見える」や「見せる」など，受動的な語義 (passive) や使役的な語義 (causative) が発展してきた．「見せる人」「見る人」「見られる物」という，この動詞の意味に関わる参与者 (participants) 3者とその態 (voice) を取り巻く語義変化とみることができるが，なぜそのように発展することになったのかはよく分かっていない．語根は印欧祖語にさかのぼり，ゲルマン諸語でもすべて「見る」を意味してきたので，英語での発展は独自のものである．OED の show, v. に，この件について解説がある．
In all the continental West Germanic languages the verb has the meaning 'to look at' (compare sense 1), and the complex sense development shown in English, in particular the development of the causative sense 'to cause to be seen' (which may be considered the core meaning of all the later sense branches), is unparalleled. Evidence for this development in Old English is comparatively late (none of the later sense branches is attested before the first half of the 12th cent.); however, similar uses are attested earlier (albeit rarely) for the Old English prefixed form gescēawian, especially in the phrase āre gescēawian to show respect or favour (compare quot. OE at sense 26a(a)), but also in senses 'to present, exhibit' (one isolated and disputed attestation; compare sense 3a) and 'to grant, award' (compare sense 18). The details of the semantic development are not entirely clear; perhaps from 'to look at' to 'to cause to be looked at or seen' (compare branch II.), 'to present, exhibit, display' (compare branches II. and IV.), 'to make known formally', 'to grant, award' (compare branch III.), although all of the latter senses could alternatively show a development via sense 2 ('to look for, seek out, to choose, select'). Compare also quot. OE at showing n. 2a, but it is uncertain whether this can be taken as implying earlier currency of sense 24.
引用にもある通り，古英語にも「見せる；与える」の例は皆無ではない．OED からいくつか拾ってみると，次の如くである．
・ [OE Genesis A (1931) 1581 Þær he freondlice on his agenum fæder are ne wolde gesceawian.]
・ lOE Extracts from Gospels: John (Vesp. D.xiv) xiv. 9 in R. D.-N. Warner Early Eng. Homilies (1917) 77 Se mann þe me gesicð, he gesicð eac minne Fæder. Hwu segst þu, Sceawe us þone Fæder?
・ lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1048 Þa..sceawede him mann v nihta grið ut of lande to farenne.
中英語になると，MED の sheuen v.(1) が示す通り，元来の「見る」の語義も残しつつ「見せる」の語義も広がってくる．初期中英語から例は挙がってくるようだ．
非常に重要な動詞なだけに，意味変化の原因が知りたいところである．ちなみに，show は，意味だけでなくスペリング，発音，活用についても歴史的に興味深い変化を経てきた動詞だ．以下の記事を参照．
・ 「#1415. shew と show (1)」 ([2013-03-12-1])
・ 「#1416. shew と show (2)」 ([2013-03-13-1])
・ 「#1716. shew と show (3)」 ([2014-01-07-1])
・ 「#1806. ARCHER で shew と show」 ([2014-04-07-1])
・ 「#1727. /ju:/ の起源」 ([2014-01-18-1])
・ 「#3385. 中英語に弱強移行した動詞」 ([2018-08-03-1])
・ Hall, John R. C. A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. Rev. ed. by Herbert T. Merritt. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1996. 1896.
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