ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2166 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2166 ************************************ ************************************************* * * * NOTE: Later research turned up additional * * information relevant to this report. * * See the end of the letter for details. * * * ************************************************* 10 Nov 2000 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether is an appropriate name for a Danish woman born between 1350 and 1500. This letter is a brief answer to your question. You've chosen a fine name, at least for the last 100 years of your period, though we will recommend a slightly different spelling of the byname. As we reported in our previous letter [1], is recorded in Norway in 1408 [2]. Danish forms of this name include 1330, 1345, 1399, and 1413 [3]. The symbol {ae} represents the a-e ligature, i.e. the two letters squashed together into one. Although we didn't find the form you want in Denmark, we think it is well within the expected range of spelling variation; it would have been pronounced \MAIR-ih-t@\, where \@\ represents the sound of the in or . If you want your name to be the best possible re-creation, we recommend you choose one of the recorded Danish forms. The modern Danish name ultimately derives from the name of St. Severinus. is found in Denmark from c.1400 on. We find it spelled as in 1403-1540, though the spellings and were more typical for that period [1]. The symbol represents the Danish slashed . one possible form of feminine patronymic based on . However, <-datter> is probably not the most likely spelling of that element in your period. The spelling <-datter> would certainly be one of the correct options in 15th century Swedish, where we've found 1478 and 1433 [5]. The symbol represents a small circle perched atop an 'A'. In Danish, the word for "daughter" appears as 1495, 1524, 1550, 1514, 1529, 1514 [6]. We suspect is appropriate for most of your period, and that or would be the best choice for the early end. Either way, the byname would have been pronounced \SOH-rens-DOH-tair\. We hope this brief letter has been useful. Please write us again if you have any questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Dietmar von Straubing, Antonio Miguel Santos de Borja, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, and Talan Gwynek. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 10 Nov 2000 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Academy of Saint Gabriel report 2108 http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi?2108 [2] Lind, E.H., _Norsk-Isla:ndska Dopnamn ock Fingerade Namn fra*n Medeltiden_ (Uppsala & Leipzig: 1905-1915, sup. Oslo, Uppsala and Kobenhavn: 1931), s.n. Margre/ta. [3] Knudsen Gunnar, Marius Kristiansen, & Rikard Hornby, _Danmarks Gamle Personnavne_, Vol. I: Fornavne (Copenhagen: 1936-48), s.n. Margareta. [4] Knudsen et. al., v.1, s.n. Severin. [5] _Sveriges Medeltida Personnamn_ (Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell, 1967), bd.1, h.1, s.nn. Adeliza, Alet. [6] Kalkar, Karl Otto Herman Tryde, _Ordbog til det AEldre Danske Sprog (1300-1700)_ (Copenhagen, Thieles bogtrykkeri, 1881-1907), s.v. D{ao}tter. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Correction, Arval, 7 Feb 2005: Fixed typo in note [1].