Re: Dative Case.

From: markodegard@...
Message: 7485
Date: 2001-06-07

Torsten writes:

> You're right: you're wrong. It's the reverse. Hamlet, Frederik (not
> Christian) and Joachim are princes *OF* Denmark. The others are
> princes *TO*. But the idea is a German import; some German nobility
> aer "von und zu" their county or barony etc.

This I think I understand. The Queen Mum is 'von und zu Windsor' (by
marriage), as is the Queen and her kids (plus the Mountbatten stuff).
The Kents and Gloucesters are merely 'von Windsor'. It means 'the
Windsors who live at Windsor', or 'the Xs who are the senior line', or
'someone else of a less-than-senior line who wants to be snooty'.

Explaining all of this with snobby English prepositions does get fun.