Among phonetic changes which occur with more or less regularity are
those called aphesis, epenthesis, epithesis, assimilation,
dissimilation, and metathesis, convenient terms which are less learned
than they appear. Aphesis is the loss of the unaccented first
syllable, as in 'baccy and 'later. It occurs almost regularly in
words of French origin, e.g. squire and esquire, Prentice and
apprentice. When such double forms exist, the surname invariably
assumes the popular form, e.g. Prentice, Squire. Other examples are
Bonner, i.e. debonair, Jenner, Jenoure, for Mid. Eng. engenour,
engineer, Cator, Chaytor, Old Fr. acatour (acheteur), a buyer--
"A gentil maunciple was they of a temple,
Of which achatours mighte take exemple" (A. 567),
Spencer, dispenser, a spender, Stacey for Eustace, Vick and Veck for
Levick, i.e. l'eveque, the bishop, Pottinger for the obsolete potigar,
an apothecary, etc.
The institution now known as the "orspittle" was called by our
unlettered forefathers the "spital," hence the names Spittle and
Spittlehouse. A well-known amateur goal-keeper has the appropriate
name Fender, for defender.
Many names beginning with n are due to aphesis, e.g. Nash for atten
ash, Nalder, Nelms, Nock, atten oak, Nokes, Nye, atten ey, at the
island, Nangle, atten angle, Nind or Nend, atten ind or end. With
these we may compare Twells, at wells, and the numerous cases in which
the first part of a personal name is dropped, e.g. Tolley,
Bartholomew, Munn, Edmund, Pott, Philpot, dim. of Philip (see p.87),
and the less common Facey, from Boniface, and Loney, from Apollonia,
the latter of which has also given Applin.
When a name compounded with Saint begins with a vowel, we get such
forms as Tedman, St. Edmund, Tobin, St. Aubyn, Toosey, St. Osith,
Toomey, St. Omer, Tooley, St. Olave; cf. Tooley St. for St. Olave St.
and tawdry from St. Audrey. When the saint's name begins with a
consonant, we get, instead of aphesis, a telescoped pronunciation,
e.g. Selinger, St. Leger, Seymour, St. Maur, Sinclair, St. Clair,
Semark, St. Mark, Semple, St. Paul, Simper, St. Pierre, Sidney,
probably for St. Denis, with which we may compare the educated
pronunciation of St. John. These names are all of local origin, from
chapelries in Normandy or England.
Epenthesis is the insertion of a sound which facilitates
pronunciation, such as that of b in Fr. chambre, from Lat. camera.
The intrusive sound may be a vowel or a consonant, as in the names
Henery, Hendry, perversions of Henry. [Footnote: On the usual fate of
this name in English, see below.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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