Re: Town, Zaun, and Celtic Dun-

From: andythewiros
Message: 64872
Date: 2009-08-20

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Brian M. Scott" <BMScott@...> wrote:
>
> At 5:19:44 PM on Wednesday, August 19, 2009, Andrew Jarrette
> wrote:
>
> > --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "tgpedersen"
> > <tgpedersen@> wrote:
>
> [...]
>
> >> I noticed something interesting in Udolph's long list of
> >> -tun names. In England there are tons of -tun's with a
> >> first element in P-, ie. a non-Germanic element. [...]
>
> > I would say (and I guess you're already aware of it) that
> > the names in P- in England are probably mostly of
> > post-conquest Norman French origin, perhaps some are
> > Celtic.
>
> Not, however, the <-tu:n> names. There are a few of
> post-Conquest origin, like <Puxton> 'Pukarel's estate',
> <Pukarel> being an OFr byname, and there are a few with
> British specifics, like <Priston>, probably from Prim. Welsh
> *prisc 'brushwood', and <Petherton> 'settlement on the river
> Parrett', but the vast majority are OE. Quite a few have
> first element <pirige> 'a pear-tree', <pre:ost> 'a priest'
> (usually in the gen. pl., <pre:osta>), or <plu:me> ~
> <ply:me> 'a plum-tree'. OE simplex names (e.g., <Put(t)a>,
> <Pe:ofa>, <Punt>) are fairly common first elements, and the
> dithematic OE name <Pi:lheard> occurs. OE *<putta> 'a hawk,
> a kite' is a possibility in at least one case.
>
> [...]
>
> Brian
>

I stand corrected on that point. From where have you obtained all this information on English place-names?

Andrew