ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1108 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1108 ************************************ From: "S Friedemann" 27 Jul 1998 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You wanted to know where the name <{AE}lfwen> was used in England, and what documentation would be needed for <{AE}lfwen the Red>. Here is the information we have found. <{AE}lfwen> seems to be pretty well spread over England; there have been examples of each found in Mercia, Wessex, Norfolk, Essex, Buckinghamshire, Leicester, Westminster. [1] Of all these places, it was found most often in Wessex. While <{AE}lfwen the Red> would be an acceptable SCA name, the authentic feminine form of "the red" for your period would be . [2] <{AE}lfwen seo Reade> is an excellent name for the mid 11th century. It is pronounced \ALF-wen say-uh RAAD-uh\, where \A\ has the sound of in , and \AA\ has the same sound, but is longer in duration. The {AE} represents the letter aesc, where the has been slanted to the right and is joined to the , rather than being two separate letters. We hope that this letter has been useful to you, and that you will not hesitate to write again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by AElfwyn aet Gyrwum, Arval Benicoeur, Lindorm Eriksson, Talan Gwynek, and Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn. For the Academy, --Arianwy ferch Cadfael July 27, 1998 --------------------------------------- References: [1] Boehler, Maria, _Die altenglischen Frauenamen_ (Nendlem, Liechtenstein: Krauss Reprint, 1967 [1930]). [2] Tengvik, G., _Old English Bynames_ (Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksells Boktryckeri-A.-B., 1938).