Re: Breton, Cornish & French

"John Briggs" <john.briggs4@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:10Kqj.5144$NL3.794@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Chess One wrote:
>> "John Briggs" <john.briggs4@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>> news:59tqj.2590$v04.2221@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>> Chess One wrote:
>>>> "Bob Jones" <bobj@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>>>> news:RFogj.434$421.325@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> From "The Story of the Cornish Language" by Peter Berresford Ellis
>>>>> (Tor Mark Press, Redruth):
>>>>
>>>> Ere! That's where I was born, ansome, in Reys Druith.
>>>
>>> Although "Redruth" is "rid" ('ford') + "ruth" ('red').
>>
>> Could be! Although Red could be Reys, and Druth be Druid. Probably the
>> answer lies up there on Carn Brea, itself the head of a giant
>> [saetan] no? Naturally the stuff that pours out at the coast at
>> Nancekuke is red, and that is about directly downriver, and would be
>> tin deposit. For all practical evidence you may have it. If so, this
>> word RID is incor****ated into A. Sax, which also spells it RED, with
>> some several meanings of to get rid of, and flush away.
>
> Why not actually consult some standard reference works, rather than try
to 
> re-invent the wheel, all by yourself?

What is actually referenced in reference books? Someone's opinion on the 
sure and certain p-Celtic?

>> It is interesting to also note the name of Stratford; is the 'Strat'
>> A. Sax or Latinate?
>>
>> in A. Sax it means muddy ~ muddy crossing
>> and in Latin [f. Strata] a paved or metalled road
>
> "Straet" is Old English for 'Roman road'.

Yes. But it has another meaning! It is a verb, 'to throw mud'. And may 
indeed have other meanings - and the point of mentioning them is examine 
which is which.

>> then there is the ford business, which is from Fford, and Welsh for
>> river or stream crossing.
>
> No, that would be "rhyd" - "ford" is Old English (from West Germanic). 
> They are (somewhat distant) cognates.

Rhyd is rather late. And Ford in A. Sax means 'to sell', to afford!

>> Then this Ellis fellow, a good Cornish name. 'Eels"? [Chaucer] who
>> also used Elle with the same meaning. Lest it is A. Sax by origin or
>> incor****ation;-
>
> No, "Ellis" is Middle English for 'Elias'. Hence the diminutive:"Eliot".

How interesting to meet such solid and singular opinions. But in your
world 
is middle-English before or after A. Sax.? Since if Chaucer the atavist 
notes an A. Sax pronoun, then it can be ALSO used later, but is no origin.

> Look, I realise that you probably consider this cheating, but had you 
> considered that I am actually checking my replies against the standard 
> reference works, whereas you just make things up?

What standard reference works? You see, I give citations, not just to 
collective works, but to individual works, editions, page numbers...

> It makes the whole exchange a bit one-sided...

Indeed. Perhaps you should declare victory and leave? Or perhaps you can
be 
less certain of the only thing that words can mean, and join the human
race?

Phil Innes


> John Briggs
>