Interesting. It's the /s/->/S/ which is puzzling especially. Are they perhaps borrowed from a dialect (maybe Ladino as you suggest?) where the /s/->/S/ shift IS normal, or where all /s/s sound like /S/?
----- Start Original Message -----
Sent: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 03:31:33 -0800 (PST)
From: "Joao S. Lopes" <
josimo70@...>
To: Cybalist <
cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [tied] Spanish S > X > J ?
>
> I'd like to know what is the explanation for an anomalous shift S>X>J in
two Spanish names. This shift is not regular, I suspect some Sephardite
(Spanish-Jewish) influence.
1) Simona > Ximena > Jimena, cf. masc. Ximeno, patronymic Ximenez,
usually related to Simon.
2) Suarez > Xuarez > Juarez. Suarez is the patronymic of Suero, usually
seen as <Suarius < Gothic *Suhareis
Joao SL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Você quer respostas para suas perguntas? Ou você sabe muito e quer
compartilhar seu conhecimento? Experimente o Yahoo! Respostas!
----- End Original Message -----