Homo Fabula

Synaptic Misfirings of an unpublished author

Thursday, January 20, 2005

Wherein Hawkie Discovers Something Interesting

So I was standing in a bookshop, flicking through a book and trying to make sure none of the store assistants didn't realise I wasn't buying anything because I didn't have any money (I'd forgotten my wallet. I'd love to produce the traditional mystic air of the starvin', financially under-endowed artist, but I'm just forgetful). The book was a Penguin dictionary of first names, it contained some nice etymology. Now, I was aware of one root of my first name (Which, by the by, is Samuel) - 'Heard by God' or 'Hearkened by God' or something like that. Interesting, but I'm agnostic, so not enormously relevant. But it turns out there's a second root, coming through Old Norse into Scotland and Ireland - 'Somhairle' or 'Summer Wanderer'. Which is ace.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home