The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-07-28
WHOLE NO. 1923.
The Derivation of Words.


The Derivation of Words.
I To THE EDITOR or The SrS--issr. Some
/ wonls of our language in common use
Z puzzle u when We seek their derivation,
and the pages Of neither Webster nor
T Worcester. 20 far a can discover, afford
Us any help.
The derivation l. curious of the COM
mon word blanket When Edward III.
a~rended the throne Of England he al
most Immediately declared war against
France. and shortly after prepared 10 in
wade her territory. But the sinews Of
war werc wanting. and 80 the monarch
appealed 10 his loving subjects. English
money bags, however. were not then ~
plethoric as they have become since, and
little coin, comparatively. was in circula-
ton. The people loved their young and
valiant King. and the war was a popular
one. The English raised large quantities
Of wool. which they sent o. Flanders for
manufacture. Il was determined 10 de-
vote the wool crop Of that wear toward
defraying the expenses OF the expe-
dition. After the more valuable por-
ton had been used there Wa qlun-
tity quite unfit for the Finnish looms.
This WAS bought up by one Sir Thomas
Blanquette, who had il woven into
coarse but warm material, and patriotic
ally presented it 70 the King AZ a contri-
button 10 the comfort of the soldiers and
a. covering for the horses of the mobiles
and knights. This material was named
Blanquette, or Blanguet, from the name
Of the donor, and we now SPELL it blank
et.
CaterpiIlar.-Many New Yorkers are
perhaps ignorant whence the pest which
was combatted by that other pest, the
English sparrow, derived it, name.
About the time Of the soi tssDt Virgin
Queen a kind of cake composed Of fine
flour. honey and spice, was in high favor
they were called Gates" In The Tam
ing of the Shrewr Psrtruclio puns upon
the name of his prospective bride:
Ny -uper-lainsy Kate.
For dainties all arr Kate 6r.
The purveyor Of this dainty was called.
from the name Of the confection. a cater
or. more recently in a wider signification.
Caterer" The insect in question was a
destructive raider on the wheat which
furnished the flour to the cater, and
hence If was called "A cater-pilIager" 1t
does not require much ingenuity TO see
how cater-pillager became cater
pillar
Perhaps some Of the good people of
Wall street would ike 70 know the orr
gin of the words penny and sterling 1t
appears that then. lived al one time in
Germany a brace Of bcgarrs. pretended
cripples. Both these adventurous beg
gIrs are said to have once flnned part
of the Council at Dantzig. but to have
subsequently lost their property and been
subjected to the severest privations- The
oldest Of these gentlemen, known by the
name of Thomas Penny. was exceedingly
di-liked by the people, and on one occs-
sion in Il grand row he WAS literally
thrown out Of the window into the street.
bv which he became veriiable cripple
II was currently reported Of bin in Dant-
zig that he had there displayed an I'M
mense amount of copper coin. but -
badly executed in tine mint as to have
given rise to the nickname of Penny's
money, an appeilation which We are
aware has been retained 10 the present
,iay To this we NAV add the origin Of
the term sterling 10 complete the primi-
tive descent Of pounds a well a. Of pence.
In the time Of Richard l. money coined
in the eastern parts Of Germany came in
to special request in England on account
of its purity, and was called Easterling
money, a. all the inhabitants of thDse
parts wen. called Easterlines King Ed
ward |. established certain standard for
the silver coin Of England. but No gold
WIS tOllltrA hlflAA LAsF " III.
who, in the year 1929. caused several
pieces TO be coined called Fl0rentes, be-
cause they were coined by Fiorentines.
From the name If the purer coinage,
called Easseriing money. came the term
sterling, as expressive Of standard pur-
ity. In the Reign Of Charles II. certain
traders brought quantity of gold from
the coast Of Guinea The King caused
it to be coined into pieces which were
called gIineas, from the country whence
the gold was brought
Can THE SuN throw anv light upon the
origin Of the family name of the ancient
and noble line which calls the Duke Of
Argyll it, head The name Campbell l.
evidently Of Latin or Italian origin
campus beIi But how coGi,i such name
attach to family. essentially and purely
Scotch, and highland Sco;h at that;
family. too, which has always borne a
partiularly Gaelic character. both in APP
pearaHee and character. Tlse name. foo,
l. centuries oil, a. We find that when the
good King Rol-ert the Brucei oyerzIme
Mcdonald. the L5pl Of the Isies. he he
slowed the lands u Lorne upon his own
nephew, Sir Colin Campbell, an aPpen-
age which still attaches To- the oldest ~on
of Argyll ! have been unable to find
how the maine became a Scotch fanlilyi-
as al-o the name Of Murray MoraviaI
IoRICE
Jugs and Their Origin.
The origin Of jr-o- date~ hack 10 antiq-