[ANSTHRLD] name pronunciation and other questions

tmcd at panix.com tmcd at panix.com
Thu Feb 23 13:00:54 PST 2006


On Thu, 23 Feb 2006, Pádraig Ruad Ó Maolagáin <padraig_ruad at irishbard.org> wrote:
> Referring to St Gabriel again, the section they have on Masculine
> Descriptive Bynames at
> http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/AnnalsIndex/DescriptiveBynames/Alpha.shtml
> gives a number of examples of descriptive characteristics such as
> Ainsheasccar (the Unquiet/Restless) and Balbh (the Stammerer).  And
> surely "the Loud" is no less an accurate descriptive than either of
> these or of many other examples given.

It's not accuracy of a descriptive that concerns me: it's type /
classification.

Extrapolation can be tricky.  For example, if the only bynames we had
for a language were Red, Black, Yellow, Brown, and White, and we have
evidence that they refer to hair color, it would not justify Tall.
If that hypothetical language had hair colors, height (Tall, Short),
weight (Fat, Skinny), and other body attributes (Lame, Crooked,
Left-handed), it would probably justify a bodily trait like One-leg,
but not justify psychological traits like Obstreperous.

So do the descriptive bynames attested in that source justify "the
Loud"?  I am not a name expert, so I can't say for certain, but I
think it's not obviously yes or no.  If "the Quiet" had been on that
list, for example, it would be a slam dunk acceptance.  (I don't know
whether anything could be made of William the Silent, a famous prince
of the house of Orange, and "Silent Cal" Coolidge.  They weren't in
the same linguistic families as Gaelic -- late period Dutch and 20th C
American.  But it could also be noted that quietness was productive of
nicknames even in cultures where nickname bynames were generally no
longer being coined.)

Mari nic Bryan might be able to guess off the top of her head.

Daniel Lindum Colonia
-- 
"Me, I love the USA; I never miss an episode." -- Paul "Fruitbat" Sleigh
Tim McDaniel; Reply-To: tmcd at panix.com




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