tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post115459315979246223..comments2023-11-29T07:39:34.401+00:00Comments on Carla Nayland Historical Fiction: Wolf Girl, by Theresa Tomlinson. Book reviewCarlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1155025932534083282006-08-08T09:32:00.000+01:002006-08-08T09:32:00.000+01:00Sarah - many thanks for the information.Rick - sho...Sarah - many thanks for the information.<BR/><BR/>Rick - shortened forms of two-element Old English names are known. The usual method of shortening an Old English name was to use the first element, so Wulfhere would be shortened to Wulf, Leofwine to Leofa, Cuthbert to Cutha, Hildigard to Hild, and so on. I don't know if the second element was ever used as the shortened form (like Stan and Red), but if it was, it was rare. <BR/><BR/>Some name elements could be used as either the first element or the last element - e.g. Wulf can be used in Wulfhere and in Raedwulf, Ric can be used in Ricbert and in Eadric - so I don't suppose one can be certain whether a man called Wulf was originally a Raedwulf or a Wulfhere. Single-element names, like Lilla, Leofa, Dudda, Fulla, Cutha were also in common use as names in their own right, so a man called Cutha might have been called Cutha as a given name, or might have been using it as a short form of a longer name such as Cuthbert or Cuthwulf.<BR/><BR/>Occasionally there are short names recorded that seem to bear no resemblance to the original full name, e.g. King Edwin's queen Aethelburh (Ethelburga) was, according to Bede, known as Tata. He doesn't say why. <BR/><BR/>I would also guess that there were nicknames in common use, not unlike Norse nicknames, and as many of the name elements had a meaning in the language, it might be hard to tell a nickname from a given name. E.g., perhaps a man might be called 'Wulf' if he fought like a wolf, or was shaggy like a wolf, or ate like a wolf, or even if he had killed an especially savage or dangerous wolf, even if his actual name was something quite different. The 'Wolf Girl' of the novel's title is a nickname like this, although in the novel it's also a play on the heroine's name, Wulfrun. <BR/><BR/>As 'Stan' is Old English for 'stone', I suppose it could have been used as a nickname or as a name in its own right, like modern French Pierre ('stone'), but it's not likely to have been a short form of a -stan two-element name. As far as I know, the modern name Stan is a shortening of Stanley, which in turn is derived from a place name meaning 'stony clearing'.Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1154994149777317992006-08-08T00:42:00.000+01:002006-08-08T00:42:00.000+01:00Stan and Red crash and burn with me, too. But thi...Stan and Red crash and burn with me, too. But this raises an interesting question about whether long names were shortened in some way in daily usage, and if so how?Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16932015378213238346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1154690526434156112006-08-04T12:22:00.000+01:002006-08-04T12:22:00.000+01:00That would be a good plan, to get it out of the li...That would be a good plan, to get it out of the library. I appreciate the author's efforts in writing about Aethelflaed, since few novelists have written about her, but the novel itself isn't very well written (imho) and the modern versions of her characters' names really got me.<BR/><BR/><I>Etheldreda</I> can be considered inspirational of a sort, though it was originally published by a "New Age" publisher and not a Christian one. Moyra Caldecott's written quite a number of historical fantasy novels, but this one was strictly historical, as I recall. I don't think the spiritual themes were overdone. It's been about 15 years since I read it, so that's about as much opinion as I'm good for!Sarah Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13340312953393474963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1154688226193080982006-08-04T11:43:00.000+01:002006-08-04T11:43:00.000+01:00I make that 6-0 in favour of Aethelstan/Aethelred,...I make that 6-0 in favour of Aethelstan/Aethelred, so that looks fairly comprehensive, at least on this small and unscientific sample :-)<BR/><BR/>Ali - why do you suppose YA books tend to be shorter? I certainly had more time for reading as a teenager than I've ever had since.<BR/><BR/>Gabriele - my thoughts exactly. I just cannot shake that mental image.<BR/><BR/>Sarah - not cheating at all. I've seen said book on Amazon and dithered over buying it, because I love that period of history, but I just cannot get past the names. Useful to hear your view on it! I may get it out of a library one day, when I run out of things to read (!). What did you think of <I>Etheldreda</I>? I hadn't heard of it before but I Googled for it and found it's available as an e-book (hurrah!) which means it's actually accessible to me. The blurb sounds heavily into 'spiritual' themes - is it an inspirational?Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1154660504395658542006-08-04T04:01:00.000+01:002006-08-04T04:01:00.000+01:00Oh yes, I'm familiar with Audrey/Etheldreda, but n...Oh yes, I'm familiar with Audrey/Etheldreda, but not so much with Ecgfrid's second wife. I read Moyra Caldecott's <I>Etheldreda</I> some time ago and don't remember her being mentioned... hmm.<BR/><BR/>Is it cheating to say I know the book with Stan and Red in it? And that it didn't work for me at all? :-) <BR/><BR/>My word verification code is ylovyx. Sounds like a Dr. Seuss character.Sarah Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13340312953393474963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1154637394248941642006-08-03T21:36:00.000+01:002006-08-03T21:36:00.000+01:00Stan and Red? Sounds like Stan and Ollie to me.Stan and Red? Sounds like Stan and Ollie to me.Gabriele Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17205770868139083575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1154632367032874212006-08-03T20:12:00.000+01:002006-08-03T20:12:00.000+01:00I also vote against Stan/Red. They would just make...I also vote against Stan/Red. They would just make me cringe.<BR/><BR/>I'll have to look out for it. Obviously I still read a lot of YA books. They tend to be shorter and cheaper :).alihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14504115799419501859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1154631354742549602006-08-03T19:55:00.000+01:002006-08-03T19:55:00.000+01:00Bernita - yes, I can see why Bernicia would have a...Bernita - yes, I can see why Bernicia would have a special appeal :-) The Brittonic form of its name is Bryneich, by the way.<BR/><BR/>Sarah - hard to think what to say about Iurminburgh that wouldn't count as a spoiler! Her name is variously spelled as Ermenburgh, Ermenburga and Irminburgh. She's recorded in history later than the period covered by <I>Wolf Girl</I>, when she was the second wife of King Ecgfrid of Northumbria (reigned 670-685). Ecgfrid's first wife, St Etheldreda/ Aethelthryth/ Audrey refused to consummate the marriage and eventually divorced him to become a nun. Bede seems fairly clear that Audrey was the instigator, though there are traditions that Ecgfrid divorced her because he wanted to marry Iurminburgh instead (not unreasonable, I would have thought, given the circumstances). Eddius Stephanus' Life of St Wilfred (a distinctly partisan account) portrays Iurminburgh as Wilfred's enemy and blames her for Wilfred's banishment. I rather think that Ecgfrid was probably already pretty fed up with Wilfred (think Henry II and Thomas Becket, but less extreme). Iurminburgh was widowed when Ecgfrid was killed at the Battle of Nechtansmere in 685. I haven't been able to find out her pedigree, although I suspect she may have been connected with the royal house of Kent, as the first element of her name (Irmin-, Eormen-) occurs in other Kentish royal names.<BR/><BR/>Alex - I only came across it by chance; the YA label meant it wasn't in my usual haunts. Hope you enjoy it.<BR/><BR/>So far: Aethelstan/Aethelred 3, Stan/Red 0. [Or 4-0 if you count me]Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1154622598652446272006-08-03T17:29:00.000+01:002006-08-03T17:29:00.000+01:00Not come across this book, so will chase it up. Th...Not come across this book, so will chase it up. Thank you.<BR/><BR/>Nah, shortening those names to Stan and Red sounds too modern.Alex Bordessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18360540101147770320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1154619994809255412006-08-03T16:46:00.000+01:002006-08-03T16:46:00.000+01:00Nice review. I'm not familiar with Iurminburgh, a...Nice review. I'm not familiar with Iurminburgh, and you have me curious.<BR/><BR/>I agree, I don't care for it when authors change historical names to modernize them - it makes the story lose its historical feel for me.Sarah Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13340312953393474963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19922276.post-1154603185497507512006-08-03T12:06:00.000+01:002006-08-03T12:06:00.000+01:00I agree with you about the names.For me they invok...I agree with you about the names.<BR/>For me they invoke.<BR/>Get enraged when they are messed with beyond reason.<BR/><BR/>(Always had a fondness for the kingdoms - especially Bernicia!)Bernitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05264585685253812090noreply@blogger.com