CHAPTER V.

PATRONYMICS.

§ 338. In the Greek language the notion of lineal descent, in other words, the relation of the son to the father, is expressed by a particular termination; as, ПInλεùç (Peleus), ПInλeídns (Peleidas), the son of Peleus. It is very evident that this mode of expression is very different from either the English form Johnson, or Gaelic MacDonald. In these lastnamed words, the words son and Mac mean the same thing; so that Johnson and MacDonald are not derived, but compound words. This Greek way of expressing descent is peculiar, and the words wherein it occurs are classed together by the pecuculiar name patronymic, from patar=father, and onoma = a Is there anything in English corresponding to the Greek patronymics? It was for the sake of this question that the consideration of the termination -ling, as in duckling, &c., was deferred.

name.

The termination -ling, like the terminations -rel and -let, is compound. Its simpler form is -ing. This, from being af fixed to the derived forms in -7, has become -ling.

In Anglo-Saxon the termination -ing is as truly patronymic as -dns is in Greek. In the Bible-translation the son of Elisha is called Elising. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle occur such genealogies as the following:-Ida was Eopping, Eoppa Ésing, Ésa Inging, Inga Angenviting, Angenvit Alocing, Aloc Beonocing, Beonoc Branding, Brand Bældaging, Bældæg, Vódening, Vóden Friðowulfing, Friðowulf Finning, Finn Godwulfing, Godwulf Geating = Ida was the son of Eoppa, Eoppa of Esing, Esing of Inga, Inga of Angenvit, Angenvit of Aloc, Aloc of Beonoc, Beonoc of Brand, Brand of Bældag, Bældag of Woden, Woden of Fridowulf, Fridowulf of Finn, Finn of

=

Godwulf, Godwulf of Geat.-In Greek, "Ida v 'ЕOTTεidns, Ἔοππα Ησείδης, Ἤσα Ιγγείδης, Ἴγγα ̓Αγγενφιτείδης, &c. In the plural number these forms denote the race of; as Scyldingas the Scyldings, or the race of Scyld, &c. Edgar Atheling means Edgar of the race of the nobles. The primary of -ing and -l-ing is descent or relationship; from these comes the idea of youth and endearment, and thence the true diminutive idea. In darling, stripling, duckling, gosling (pr. gesling), kitling (pr. kitten), nestling, yearling, chickling, fatling, fledgling, firstling, the idea of descent still remains. In hireling the idea of diminution is accompanied with the idea of contempt. In changeling we have a Gothic termination and a classical root. See, for the full exposition of this view, Deutsche Grammatik, ii. 349-364, iii. 682.

CHAPTER VI.

GENTILE FORMS.

§ 339. THESE have been illustrated by Mr. Guest in the Transactions of the Philological Society.

The only word in the present English that requires explanation is the name of the principality Wales.

1. The form is plural, however much the meaning may be singular; so that the -s in Wale-s is the -s in fathers, &c.

2. It has grown out of the Anglo-Saxon from wealhas= foreigners, the name by which the Welsh are spoken of by the Germans of England, just as the Italians are called Welsh by the Germans of Germany: wal-nuts foreign nuts.

3. The transfer of the name of the people inhabiting a certain country to the country so inhabited, was one of the commonest processes in both Anglo-Saxon and Old English.— GUEST, Phil. Trans.

CHAPTER VII.

ON GENDER.

§ 340. THE nature of gender is best exhibited by reference to those languages wherein the distinction of gender is most conspicuous. Such a language, amongst others, is the Latin.

How far is there such a thing as gender in the English language? This depends upon the meaning that we attach to the word.

In the Latin language, where there are confessedly genders, we have the words taurus, meaning a bull, and vacca, meaning a cow. Here the natural distinction of sex is expressed by wholly different words. With this we have corresponding modes of expression in English: e. g.—

The mode, however, of expressing different sexes by wholly different words is not a matter of gender. The words boy and girl bear no etymological relation to each other; neither being derived from the other, nor in way connected with it.

Neither are words like cock-sparrow, man-servant, he-goat, &c., as compared with hen-sparrow, maid-servant, she-goat, &c., specimens of gender. Here a difference of sex is indicated by the addition of a fresh term, from which is formed a compound word.

In the Latin words genitrix a mother, and genitor = a father, we have a nearer approach to gender. Here the difference of sex is expressed by a difference of termination;

the words genitor and genitrix being in a true etymological relation, i.e. either derived from each other, or from some common source. With this we have, in English, corresponding modes of expression: e. g.

This, however, in strict grammatical language, is an approach to gender rather than gender itself. Its difference from true grammatical gender is as follows:

Let the Latin words genitor and genitrix be declined :

The syllables in italics are the signs of the cases and numbers. Now these signs are the same in each word, the difference of meaning (or sex) not affecting them.

Contrast, however, with the words genitor and genitrix the

words domina a mistress, and dominus a master.