ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2147 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2147 ************************************ 15 Nov 2000 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether is an appropriate name for a Scottish woman living 1550-1600. Here is what we have found. Starting in the late 14th century, there were several languages spoken in Scotland. The most important were Gaelic, spoken in the Highlands, and Scots, spoken in the Lowlands, including the royal court and towns. Gaelic was the same language spoken in Ireland at this time; Scots was closely related to contemporary English. In Orkney and Shetland, which had been under Norse domination in earlier centuries, a Scandinavian language called Norn remained in use past the end of our period. Names were formed quite differently in each language, and the different styles of naming did not mix. Therefore, the culture you choose for your persona will determine how your name should be constructed. It also means that a collection of names from period Scotland may include names from several different languages. derives from one of the Norse-speaking communities in northern Scotland: It is a Latin spelling of the Old Norse name <{AE}sa>, recorded in a document relating to Orkney in 1330. The woman in question was Norse [1, 2, 3]. The symbol {AE} represents an A-E ligature, with the two letters pushed together so that they share a vertical stroke. We found no evidence that this name was ever adopted into Gaelic or Scots, or that it remained in use in Scotland later than 1330. It did remain in use in Scandinavia as , so it is not impossible that it was also used in Orkney or Shetland; but we've found no evidence that it did [4, 5]. We therefore cannot recommend it as the best re-creation of 16th century Scottish names; at best, it is appropriate only for these extreme northern islands. Our best guess at the pronunciation of the name in Norn is \OW-s@\ or \OH-s@\. \@\ represents a schwa, the sound of the in or . If you would like to consider other given names, you can find lists of later period Scots names and of Scottish Gaelic names on the web: Scots names: Early 16th Century Scottish Town Women's Names http://www.medievalscotland.org/scotnames/scottownwomen16.shtml Gaelic names: Some Scottish Gaelic Feminine Names http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/arval/scotgaelfem/ Our sources for Scandinavian-influenced names in the Northern Isles aren't easily accessible. If that possibility interests you, we'll send you some information. If you don't find a name in these articles that appeals to you, or if you would like further help constructing an authentic name, please contact us again. We hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Lindorm Eriksson, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Dietmar von Straubing, Talan Gwynek, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Effrick neyn Kenneoch, Margaret Makafee, Modar Neznanich, and Adelaide de Beaumont. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 15 Nov 2000 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Fladby, Rolf, _Kongebrev i Diplomatarium Norvegicum_ (Oslo: Kommisjonen for Diplomatarium norvegicum, 1965), vol.7, p.150, nr.134. (Also available on-line at http://www.dokpro.uio.no/cgi-bin/cesoS/diplom_vise_tekst.prl?b=6670&s=e. The name is actually recorded as , in an oblique case. is the expected nominative form. [2] Aryanhwy merch Catmael, "Viking Names found in the Landna/mabo/k" (WWW: privately published, 1998). http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/landnamabok.html [3] Black, George F., _The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History_, (New York: The New York Public Library, 1986), s.n. Papay. Black's source is [1]. [4] Kruken, Kristoffer, ed. _Norsk personnamnleksikon_, 2nd ed. (Oslo: Det Norske Samlaget, 1995), s.n. A*sa (with a small circle over the first 'A'). They show the name, in various spellings, in continuous use through the Middle Ages and up to modern times. However, our best source for names in the Northern Isles in the 16th century does not include any form of this name. [5] Clouston, J. Storer, ed., _Records of the Earldom of Orkney 1299-1614_ (Edinburgh: Scottish Historical Society, 1914). This collection contains three Norse-derived feminine names in a sample of 129: - , = , and probably = .