[tied] Re: Also an Austro-Asiatic Disconnect

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Ryan" <proto-language@...>
wrote:

>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brian M. Scott" <BMScott@...>
> To: "Patrick Ryan" <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 10:17 AM
> Subject: Re[2]: [tied] Re: Also an Austro-Asiatic Disconnect
>
>
> > At 1:36:00 AM on Thursday, November 10, 2005, Patrick Ryan
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Ryan, by the way, means 'king'.
> >
> > Hereditary surnames don't have meanings;
>
> ***
> Patrick:
>
> Of course surnames have meanings.
>
> Just a 'little middle-class king'.
>
> I would like to poll the list on that question.

Patrick,

I'm afraid this going to sound very clintonesque, but what you mean
by "meaning". Do you mean that the surname implies anything about its
bearer? (I can assure you I'm the last person you would want doing
metalwork for you <g>) If not, it is hard to see in what sense the
name would have "meaning" in any practical sense. But in any case,
unless you do claim a surname tells you anything about a person* I'm
afraid this may just develop into an argument over semantics.

* beyond of course the obvious fact that it may tell who your
ancestor was.

>
> Another of my ancestors is surnamed <Wolf>. I suppose that does not

mean

> 'wolf' but only has an etymology.

Well, it certainly doesn't necessarily mean that someone bearing the
name has wolf-like qualities.

Regards,
Ned Smith