Instruccioun

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Archaic spelling of instruction, meaning knowledge or guidance passed on to someone ; an order or direction given to be carried out
2. An obsolete form of instruction, referring to teaching or the knowledge imparted to a learner ; a command or authoritative direction to act
3. Medieval English spelling for the act of teaching or the information conveyed ; a directive or order that someone is bound to follow

Etymology: "Instruccioun" is a Middle English noun, borrowed from Old French "instruction" and ultimately from Latin "instructio," a noun from "instruere," meaning "to build into, equip, arrange, or teach." The Latin verb combined "in-" with "struere," "to pile up or construct," so the underlying image is of building knowledge or skill into someone, much as one would construct a structure. The spelling with "-oun" reflects the Anglo-Norman and Middle English pronunciation of the French ending, which was closer to the "-oun" sound than to the modern "-ion." Writers of the period used the form freely, and it appears in religious and educational texts where guidance for conduct and belief was central. The modern "instruction" has kept the core sense of teaching or direction, and the older spelling survives mainly in historical and literary contexts.