Re: Laird

[EoganOg@aol.com]

Poster: EoganOg@aol.com

In a message dated 2/1/99 11:05:13 AM Eastern Standard Time, cosby@erols.com
writes:

>     I have a question please.  I saw the term "Laird" prefixing a
>  title.  When I looked it up, expecting it to mean Lord, I found out it
>  meant Landholder. (Source:  The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the
>  Middle Ages.)  I still am surprised.  Can anyone confirm that laird
>  indeed means landholder?  Thank you very much for your time.

Indeed, "laird" had different connotations in Lowland Scotland than "Lord" did
in England, and "landholder" would be as good a definition as any, I suppose.
But the exact meaning of the word (as for any word) depends largely on the
time on which it was used.  "Laird" in 16th century Scotland would mean
something different than "laird" in 19th century Scotland.  "Laird" and the
alternate Scots word, "Lard" are both examples, dating at least as far back as
the 14th century, of the Scots words that grew out of the English "Lord."

If I remember, tomorrow I will look in my Concise Scots Dictionary and get a
better handle on when those words meant what and post it to the list.

Aye,
Tighearn Eoghan Og Mac Labhrainn
(Lard Ewan Og MacLauren)
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