The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #64644   Message #1095635
Posted By: Raedwulf
18-Jan-04 - 01:56 PM
Thread Name: BS: Scots impose regime on England
Subject: RE: BS: Scots impose regime on England
Saxon comes from the region of Germany called Saxoney(spelt wrongly)and the English are called Anglo's hence the merger of the two being Anglo-Saxon. Are we all clear on that one? Good.

Bad. No we're not. Go read a dictionary. Territory names almost invariably follow on from the tribal inhabitants & not vice versa. France is named from presence of the Franks, not the other way round, England (probably - there is a possible non-tribal explanation) ditto, Scotland ditto, Brittany, Lombardy, etcetera ad nauseum. All named from the tribal people, never the people named from the region. Why the hell would a land be named "knife", which is the most probable derivation of the word?

Although it is based on an older west gmc word, possibly related to OE seax (the single-edged knife/weapon commonly worn by the original Englisc) Saxones as a word was first used by the Greeks & Latins (source: OED), & in reference to the people, not the land. And I will say it again - there is no documentary evidence of the early Englisc referring to themselves as Saxon - it is applied only to them by outsiders, AFAIK.

Are you now clear on this, Boab? Because it is right & you are not!