Re: MR: Latin pigs

[Stephanie Malone Thorson <smt2@st-andrews.ac.uk>]

Poster: Stephanie Malone Thorson <smt2@st-andrews.ac.uk>

Quoth Evan:

> While much discussion has been made of the last little piggie and how its
> name should go in Latin, no one has noted the glaring inconsistency in the
> attribution. Shouldn't it be "Mater Alba" or some such, instead of that
> "Goose" on the end?

In a word, no.  The Latin word for goose is anser, which is a masculine 
noun (those silly Romans) and thus rather hard to make fit with the 
feminine noun mater.  (Gyrth could probably do it, but he's 
exceptional).  "Mater Alba" would mean "Mother White" or some such thing, 
and would be a shade meaningless.  Corun decided also that Mater Goose 
would give the _illiterati_ a clue as to the meaning of the rest.

(I use _illiterati_ in the medieval sense of someone who is unlettered in 
Latin)

--Alianora
(facing more time in the Patrologia and not pleased about it)
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Stephanie M. Thorson			*  SCA: Lady Alianora Munro
University of St Andrews		*  
St Andrews, Scotland			*  Clan White Wing
email smt2@st-andrews.ac.uk		*  Tarkhan, Khanate Red Lion
*****************************************************************************

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