ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2492 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2492 ************************************ From: "Sara L Friedemann" 16 Mar 2002 Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel! You wanted to know if would be an appropriate name for a woman of the Sicilian aristocracy living between 1450 and 1550. During your period, there was no one unified Italian language. Different parts of the countries used different dialectal variants of Italian, some of which were mutually incomprehensible. As a result, spellings of names differed from northern Italy to southern Italy, where Sicily is located. The form is a northern and central Italian spelling [4]. We find the name recorded as in 16th century Palermo, along with the pet form . would be a fine name for a late-period Sicilian woman. [1] It would have been pronounced \bee-ah-TREE-tchee\. You were interested to know if the preposition was used in locative bynames, as well as the preposition . In southern Italy, we find examples of both. In fact, we explicitly find the form 'of Palermo' in the 16th century; note that this byname was probably used literally, and could also have been spelled . [1] We also found the surname , meaning "Palerman woman," recorded after 1332. [2] This would also be a fine choice for a surname, and it would have meant only that you or your family came from Palermo at some point (and probably now lives elsewhere). It wouldn't have been understood to imply any family or political connection to the rulers of Palermo. [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 were provided by Arval Benicoeur, Adelaide de Beaumont, Maridonna Benvenuti, Raquel Buenaventura, and Talan Gwynek. For the Academy, ~Aryanhwy merch Catmael, 18Mar02 --------------------------------------- References & Notes: [1] Lyneya Fairbowe (Audrey Parks), unpublished research based on baptismal records from Palermo, 1561-63, which are available on microfilm at the library of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. [2] Caracausi, Girolamo, _Dizionario Onomastico della Sicilia_, volume 1, (Palermo: 1994). s.n. Palermo [3] We found a brief history of Sicilia online at http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/11852History.html that we thought might interest you: "After Frederick's death and the failures of the last Hohenstaufen claimants (Conrad IV, Manfred, and Conradin), Pope Clement IV crowned (1266) Charles I (Charles of Anjou) king of Naples and Sicily as his vassal. The unpopular French government brought on the Sicilian Vespers revolt (1282) and the Sicilians chose Peter III of Aragon as king. The resulting war between the Angevin line and the Aragonese ended temporarily in 1302, with Frederick II (see also Aragon, house of) becoming king of Sicily and Charles II of Anjou keeping S Italy (see Naples, kingdom of). In 1373, Joanna I of Naples formally renounced Sicily. After the Sicilian branch of Aragon became extinct, Sicily reverted (1409) to the main branch. Under Aragonese rule local liberties were maintained, and the Sicilian national assembly enjoyed wide powers. With the accession of the Hapsburgs to the Spanish throne (early 16th cent.), there was more centralization, and Spanish governors arrived to tighten the imperial bonds. Corruption increased, and the island came under the control of a few powerful nobles and church officials." [4] De Felice, Emidio, _Dizionario dei nomi italiani_ (Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, Milan, 1992), s.n. Beatrice.