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An interesting point about their being low-life; the two examples I can think of offhand confirm it: marplot and makebate.
The surnames Shakespeare, Wagstaff, and Drinkwater are of this form too. The last has a direct counterpart in French: Boileau. Now I've read somewhere that Shakespeare and Wagstaff are naughty in origin: they're not simple profession surnames meaning spearman or beadle, they're nicknames for someone notorious for waggling his bits. I can't say whether this is true.
Tolkien invented (or possibly revived from obscurity) some of these for hobbit surnames, such as Bracegirdle. In fact, knowing Tolkien, it's highly likely that there were real Bracegirdles in Merry England.
I don't know of a name for this verb + object formation, but I'd be interested in hearing of it.
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted Pickpockets and turncoats BlanchePatch 03/23/01 03:29 AM Re: Pickpockets and turncoats inselpeter 03/23/01 05:27 AM Re: Pickpockets and turncoats NicholasW 03/23/01 08:15 AM Re: Pickpockets and turncoats Capital Kiwi 03/23/01 09:13 AM Re: Pickpockets and turncoats rodward 03/23/01 10:45 AM Re: Pickpockets and turncoats Anonymous 03/23/01 11:17 AM Re: Pickpockets and turncoats BlanchePatch 03/23/01 01:55 PM
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