Comments on: Word of the Day: dust

By: Michael PS

Michael PS — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:28:32 +0000

Peg

French also drops the G in some words

Fragilis- Frêle
Frigidus – Froid
Rigidus – Raide

It then re-borrowed Fragile, Frigide and Rigide from Lain.

Again, Mugliare (to milk) and Molinare (to mill) both became Mouler, so they used Traire (from Traho) to mean to milk.

By: peg

peg — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 18:43:30 +0000

I can see how Guy might have derived from Wydo which might have come from Vitus—if they were pronounced “Gee”, “Weedo”, and “Weetus”.

I wonder if francophone people have difficulty pronouncing “w”. I was told once not to pronounce “huit” or “oui” with an initial “w” sound, that it is actually “oo-ee”.

There is also a missing “S” in some French words—the ones that start with an E (accent aigu). so Steven is Etienne, spine (thorn) is épine. They must have lost the “S” in the Middle Ages. Then there is the matter of the useless French “H” at the beginning of words…

By: Michael PS

Michael PS — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:26:05 +0000

Peg

Thanks for joining in!

I have seen the name “Wydo” as the Latin form of Guy in an old (11th c) feu-charter.

St Vedast of Arras, who helped to convert Clovis, is known as St Waast in Walloon. In England, he is venerated as St Foster. He has a church at the back of St Paul’s in the City of London (the square mile boasts 97 parishes) and another in Norwich. The French, of course, call him St Gaston.

What the English do with Saint’s names is interesting – Austin for Augustine, Benet for Benedict, Audrey for Etheldreda &c Such names are often found in Catholic Remnant families.

By: peg

peg — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:13:37 +0000

“This is fun; I wish I could think of some more.”

To stick with the missing French “W”, I always liked “Guillaume” for “William”.

I know that the French refer to St. Vitus as St. Guy (at least in reference to the cathedral in Prague) and that always confused me. I wonder if it is somehow related to this French avoidance of “W” . I must look up the Latin word for “Vitus”, which probably started with a “W” sound if not the letter itself.

By: David DePerro

David DePerro — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 21:04:18 +0000

And so of Tobey Maguire’s Spiderman, one might say: “From Dunst he came, and to Dunst he shall return.”

By: Michael PS

Michael PS — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:24:17 +0000

I don’t know what came over me – ward/guard is not from Latin at all – It is a Frankish word.

One finds it in Italian, too,, “guardare”

By: Michael PS

Michael PS — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:44:01 +0000

Thank you Professor Esolen.

“When a sound should show up in a language but doesn’t…”

Think of W in French. It used to exist. We borrowed “war,” before the French changed it to “guerre.” We also borrowed “warden” and, later, borrowed it again as “guardian,” both from Latin “vigilare.” “Wager” and “gage,” too, from “vadium.”

This is fun; I wish I could think of some more.