The sun., 1888-02-26

also had their ThtnPs, 10 WHOSE tormof oAsF
ence In the Danelagh local names beer Witness
1t is not only in geographical proper nouns,
and to n less extent in common nouns. verbs,
and adiectiyea, that we SEQ traces Of the In
fiuence of scandinavian conquest and COLOMBIA
ton on our English speech. In our folklore
and popular nioknsmes and phrases may be
detected yestiges OF the Scandinavian polythe-
ism. Many curious examples are mentioned
by Prof. Roemer. Thus the name OF the Morse
Vulcan, Weland, Is preserved In place In
Berkshire called Waylandsmith. Again. In the
Lake district stands dark and rugged rock
known as Scratch Meal Scar, In which are
recognized the names Of two personages who
figure In the Morse mythology, Skraai, demon
and Aiella. n weird giantess. In the
north OF England the name OF Sk1'dnt continues
to be heard In tho mouths OF the peasantry'
and the memory Of Old Scratch Is probably
destined to survive in company with Old NICK.
who 10 no other than Nikr. the water demon OF
Scandinavian legend" SO. too. In the phrase,
Deuce take tp the Scandinavian deity. THO. lie
still invoked. The nursery legend OF Jack and
Jill is found in the younger Edda where tho
story OF Rjuki tthe fowl and Blu tthe ebbh the
two children OF the moon. appears to be merely
an exotcric version OF tho flowing and ebbing
of the tides. The word brao has an etymoloGi-
cal connection with the name OF Brd9t the
Morse god of song and mirth. whose devotees
are apt to fall, after while. under the power
OF Mara. q savage demon. who tortures men
with visions. and who survives with mitigated
powers in the nightmare Of modern days"
Nv.
We como now to the far more important nG.
dtions to our English vocabulary drswI from
the old French which was spoken in Nor
mandy after the colonization Of Neustria by
the Mortimer under Rollo. The process OF intll-
trntion from this source must have begun at
least century before the battle Of Senlac. 1t
being " a common practice among the English
mobiles to send their sons to France for educa-
ton as early as the year 952." OF course great
impetus would be given to the practice at
later date. Queen Emma, the mother OF Edward
the Confessor. having been q Norman princess.
and Edward himself having lived In Normandy
from the age Of Is until he was past 40. Prof..
Roemer cites tho authority Of P. L. X Oliphant
for the statement that the number OF Norman
words infused into English before the invasion
under Duke William amounted to at least $50.
We are sorry that n list OF these was not in
serted In this volume. What kinds OF words were
naturaized is indicated bv extracts from the
AnRlo-Saxon Chronicle between the years 1886
and 1854. when these annals ceased to be kept
in the native language But the hRppiest Illus
tration OF the extent to which Norman terms
had crept into common English speech within
a century rless after the Conquest Is supplied
by the following passage quoted from Olphant's
Sources OF Standard English: I'VE may i'm
agine" says Mr.. Oliphant. a cavalcade OF the
new aristocracy OF England. ladies and knights
men who perhaps fought at Hastings in their
youth: these alight from their steeds at tho
door OF one OF tho churches that have lately
arisen throughout the land In style unknown
to Earl Goodwin. The riders arc aocosted by a
crowd OF beggars and bedesmen. who put forth
all their little stock Of French. THE words bor-
rowed from the Normans arc italicized Lady
Countess clad In ernline and sabeiine look from
your paIf'ey. Be large of your treasure to the
poor and feeble: OF your charity bestow your
riches on US rather than on jo1elours. We will
put up our orisons for you. after the n,anere and
customs OF our religion. Nor Christs passion ease
our poverty in somo measure; that is the best
pendnce as your chaplain in his SERMONS says.
By all the contessors. patriarchs. and pirgins.
show US mercy Another speech would run
thus: Worthy Barons. you have honor at
court. speak for my son In prison. Let him have
justice: he is no robber or lecler. The seroeants
took him in the market: these catchpoies have
wrought him sore n,iseise. 80 may Christ
accord you peace at the day Of hweison.' Not
one OF these forty French words were in Eng
lish use before the battle of Hastings; but We
find every one OF them set down In writing
within a century after that date. so common
had they then become In English mouths" II
is curious to note how many of those forty
words drop In our day from the pons Of those
who imagine themselves great sticklers for the
use OF what they call AnGlo-Saxon. and who
never dream they are employing words OF
o1, Il "a <rfT nkt1 pio1p
indeed are the ignorant. for they shall be self
satisfied.
Prof Roemer suggests that It was probably
due to the powerful influence OF the Norman
clergy that new set Of Christian names was
introduced IN ENGLAND after the Conquest. and
that hereditary surnames were then for the
first time used. The authority OF Camden Ia
given for the statement that before the coming
OF Duke William all deeds and donations were
| subsigued with crosses and single names with.
out surnames. That within o century after
| ward 1t was counted essential for . person OF
rank to bear some designation besides a bap-
tismal name is inferable from passage quoted
from Robert Of Gloucester. who makes q lad
say: 1T were to me great shame. to have q lore
| withouten his twa name" 1t is said that there
! is not a village in Normandy which has no
| given a surname to some English family; but
i III AuultlOu " tu0 dppoudttCub Oi toEEUOTlH
| origin. the author enumerates the following
| French names OF trades and occupations. which
existed as surnames In England "a early al
the year 1900: Draper. Faber or Favre. Fal
coner or Faucuner. Forester or Foster. Mar
chant. Mercer Parker. Porter. Spicer. LIE bar
bsr LIE boutsiler, lie CUTLER. LIE cuper. Le gar
dener LIE grosseri LIE despencer or spencer. LIE
| latimer or latiner. LIE mascun or masun. LIE
peintur. Le taylur, Le turnur. Ls walker OIL
walker (which meant tiller). and HELLER o,
Helyar which In the Dorsetshire dialect still
means o thatcher or tyler"
There Is no doubt that for about two centu.
riss after the Conquest. or up to the reign Of
Edward l.. the native English tongue, despiset
by the French masters OF the SOIL " not only as
unknown. but as the language Of Q subjec,
race. was left to the use OF Doors and ssrfs. and
except In a few stray cases. ceased to be writ.
ten at all. When tho educated generation tina,
saw the arrival Of the Norman died out the Eng
lish language. csAsing to be read and written
lost all its literary words" This remark We hnt
on page BAL, and to the same effect the autho