ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1317
http://www.s-gabriel.org/1317
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From: "Friedemann, Sara L" 
5 Nov 1998

Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You wanted to know if <Alesone inghean Lawrens> would have been used by an
early 16th century Scottish Gaelic woman.  Here is the information that we
have found.

In your period, there were two languages spoken in Scotland: Gaelic, spoken
in the Highlands, and Scots, spoken in the Lowlands and the towns. Gaelic is
the same language spoken in Ireland at this time; Scots is closely related
to contemporary English. Names were formed quite differently in the two
languages, and the two styles of naming did not mix. Therefore, the culture
you choose for your persona will determine how your name should be
constructed.

Both <Alesone> and <Lawrens> are Scots names.  We find this spelling of
<Alesone> in 1492, so it would be fine for your period. [1]  While we did
not specifically find the form <Lawrens>, other forms that we found,
including <Lowrens> and <Laran> [4,3], lead us to believe that this spelling
would be a
possible late-period spelling.  <Alesone Lawrens>, "Alesone, daughter of
Lawrens," would be a good choice for your period.

The modern Scottish Gaelic form of <Alison> is <Allasan>.  Because <Alison>
was a common name in England and Scotland in period, we believe that
<Allasan> could have been used by a Gaelic woman in our period.  It is
pronounced \AHL-a-sahn\. [2]

The normal Gaelic form of <Laurence> is <Labhran> or <Labhrunn>.  A woman
named Allasan who was the daughter of Labhran would have been known as
<Allasan inghean Labhruinn>. [3]  (The change in spelling from <Labhran> to
<Labhruinn> is required by Gaelic grammar).  This is pronounced \AHL-@-s@n
NEE-y@n LOW-rin\, with the \OW\ pronounced as in <cow>, and the \@\
representing the initial vowel sound in the word <about>.

Gaelic was almost never used as a written language in period Scotland.
Records in your period were generally in Scots, so if your name had been
written down, it would have been rendered in Scots.  The name <Allasan
inghean Labhruinn> could have been written <Alesone nin Laran> [3].

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 Arval
Benicoeur and Talan Gwynek.

For the Academy,
--Aryanhwy merch Catmael
     November 5, 1998

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References:

[1] Talan Gwynek, "A List of Feminine Personal Names found in Scottish
Records" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1996).

[2] Morgan, Peadar, _Ainmean Chloinne: Scottish Gaelic Names for Children_
(Scotland: Taigh na Teud Music Publishers, 1989).

[3] Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and
History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986)., s.n. MacLaran

[4] Symon Freser of Lovat, "13th & 14th Century Scottish Names" (WWW: J.
Mittleman, 1996)