Re: [tied] Eh, Catherine!

From: Piotr Gasiorowski
Message: 11453
Date: 2001-11-23

Message
Latinised <catharina> is the protoform of the versions of the name found in nearly all European languages. It must have been produced by folk-etymological associations, with <aikaterine:> (the oldest attested form) becoming influenced by <katHaros>. I suspect that *aei-katHarine: 'eternally pure' is also a false etymology -- I don't care for all these loose correspondences; perhaps the name is ultimately Coptic, as sometimes suggested, but I have not seen a detailed derivation.
 
Piotr
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: P&G
To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, November 23, 2001 9:10 PM
Subject: Re: [tied] Eh, Catherine!

Isn't it easier to guess that the Portuguese is from the Latin Catharine (from Greek katharos, pure), rather than from the later Greek aei-catharine (or hekatarine)?
 
Peter
----- Original Message -----
From: João S. Lopes Filho
To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2001 9:27 PM
Subject: Re: [tied] Eh, Catherine!

Maybe a crossing between katharos and aikaterine.
In Catholic countries the preferred form was CAT(H)ARINA, CAT(H)ERINA. The syncope of initial vowel often occurs in Portuguese (apotheca > bodega; episcopu > bispo), but in this case it would be expected Gatarina instead of Catarina.