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It was interesting to read (was it last week?) about words that have uses outside of being people's names (I didn't express that very well).
I've read a book called Malinche's Conquest, which is about Cortez's invasion, and particularly Malinche - Cortez's native mistress. The name 'Malinche' in Mexico now, apparently, is the equivalent of 'traitor' (the book's really interesting and says a lot of interesting stuff about past and present Mexico). Anyway, I know there are other words that derive from people's names - I think that's been a topic actually (it has, I just checked - Eponyms - but it was a while ago...) - so I thought I'd throw the challenge out for more: particularly ones of historical interest (which may of course be interpreted as widely as to mean any of them...)
sigh, it's the middle of the day and my words don't seem to be functioning proper...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Not to go off topic but. If you liked the book about Malinche, here's another for you to try. "The True History of the Conquest of Mexico" by Bernal Días de Castillo. He was one of the men that travelled with Cortéz and was of the group that entered Mexico City. It is a detailed, and fairly unbiased account of his personal observations of that totally alien world.
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Carpal Tunnel
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i was just talking about names this morning at breakfast.
English has a group of words called names. and very small subset of word used as names.
We use Leo or Leon, which is a romance language word --Lion.
but we tend to think names like 'Rainbow' or 'Storm' as new age fad names. Ursula is the name is the same as ursula, the word meaning she bear. Leon is lion.
English uses Ursula, but i have never met anyone named She Bear, or Running Deer, or Crazy Horse, with out thinking either, they are calling on a native american heritage, or the are pretending to. (and there names like Running Deer tend to be mocked by English speakers.) Impala is a name of a car, not your son or daughter.
Helen, has variously been said to mean Lighthouse, source of light, (but not the sun or moon) light, and shining.. the HEL part is clearly realated to Helios, but the en part is some sort of diminutive that makes it clear, we are not talking about the sun, but some lesser light.
i have met other helens, but i have never met a woman called Lighthouse, Shining, Lampbulb{=source of light}.
Why do you think that is? what is it about Anglo saxon culture, that we have a subset of words, called names.
(and yes, Glen, Rose, Brook, Violet, Beryll, Opal, Pearl, Ruby, Daisy, Forrest, and a short list of others do exist as both words/names. and there is the occational Bull Durham, a nick name that is an animal.. but who went to school with big Ox? Cheetah? Tiger? (yeah, someone went to school with Tiger Woods) I know an Agnes-- but not anyone named Lamb (not as first name, but it is a "family" name)
it seems pretty much limited to English/Anglo saxon culture.
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Carpal Tunnel
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and realizing i was off on a tangent..
a signature on a document required? "put your John Hancock here"
Been betrayed? "he was a regular Benedict Arnold"
both come to mind.
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comiconomenclaturist is a word i stumbled across in a book of odd words. i suspect it's made up.
it means someone who collects funny names..
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Carpal Tunnel
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English has ... very small subset of word used as names.
Very interesting. All I can think of is the name "Heather", but there are probably far more.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Keiva: Go away. You are not welcome here.
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Not on point, bill. (#1)
Edit re comment below: not on point, of-troy. Not on the subject of this thread. (#3) Re-edit: similar re bill's below (#6) and ASp's below. (#8)
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the person know as Keiva, who recently posted on this thread, was banned, for flaming. he forced his way back into this forum by implied threats.
Go away Keiva. You are not wanted here
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Carpal Tunnel
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Keiva: Go away. You are not welcome here.
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