[Heralds] German/Norse name for Destiny

Jodi McMaster jodimc at texas.net
Fri May 4 13:44:17 PDT 2001


Christie Ward wrote:
>
> >Note: I was quoting the Academy of S.Gabriel--that's the consensus opinion
> >of the crowd there.
>
> I've had 'em get up my nose about the fact that I do provide etymology info
> on names.  Thing is, we're *not* Viking parents who, due to social and
> religious systems are going to have to name the baby after dear, deceased
> uncle Edvardr.  We're choosing new names as adults, and because it is an
> adult decision, people do care.
>
> I just point wordlessly at President Shrub and all the "bush" jokes for
> whether or not people "notice" the meanings of names...
>

True enough, but I think the point was to emphasize that just because a
name may have a meaning doesn't mean that people are named for that
reason.  Part of why the S.Gabriel quote is worded so strongly is to
overcome the idea that medieval folk (as a general rule, mind you,
there's always exceptions) used some sort of Shamanistic/Native
American/New Age approach to naming.  Just because puns or wordplay can
be used on names doesn't mean that's why they were given.

The point you make about naming ourselves is well-taken, it's just
important* to note that there is a distinction between why we name
ourselves a certain thing and what it would have "meant" in the cultural
context in which it arises.

AElfwyn

* Important is relative, and maybe an overstatement--on trying to
explain this to my husband, he was not sure what the big deal was...

--
AElfwyn aet Gyrwum
mka Jodi McMaster

AElfwyn's Attic
http://jodimc.home.texas.net



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