| |
In lugnet.castle, Shiri Dori writes:
> > > <fog clears>...
> > > http://www.geocities.com/shiri_lego/inn.html
> <snip>
> Thanks! It's just that near such an amazing thing like the Blood Stone Castle,
> it shrivels away and transforms to a meek little mouse. :-)
You're in good company, in with that Yellow Castle. It's like fleeing an
Imperial Star Destroyer, it is.
Now some word-book-fun. Some neighbors moved away last week and left behind a
heap of books in the junkroom. A curious mixture: History of the Jewish People,
Works of Josephus, New English Bible, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,
Italian Folktales, Castles and Keeps of Scotland...
Of course I have them on MY book heap now. So, cracking open Castles. Facing a
color litho of Castle Stirling, the title page reads "Being a description of
sundry fortresses, towers, peels, and other houses of strength built by the
princes and barons of old time in the highlands, islands, inlands, and borders
of the ancient and godfearing kingdom of Scotland." By Frank Roy Fraprie.
Author of "Among Bavarian Inns." Illustrated. Boston, L.C. Page & Company.
MDCCCCVII.
Apparently, Queensborough Public Library got rid of it, Queens College got it,
threw it out about 1976, and one day my neighbors got it (or never returned
it?) In 2000, it lay in a junkroom. It is safe with me for the forseeable
future. (as if anybody knew anything about the future!)
So, wonderful names of Scottish castles, illustrated: Stirling. Glamis.
Tantallon. Dumbarton. Craignethan (Tillietudlem). Bothwell. Rothesay. Kilchurn.
Gylen. Aros. Dunstaffnage. Inverlocky. Invergarry. Kirkwall. Notland. The Broch
of Mousa. Cawdor. Spynie Palace. Fyvie. Dunnottar. Crathes. Edzell. Doune.
Huntingtower, or Ruthven Castle. Elcho. St Andrews. Newark. Campbell. Niddrie.
Linlithgow. Edinburgh. Holyrood Palace. Craigmillar. Dunbar. Dirleton.
Cessford. Smailholm. Hermitage. Neidpath. Caerlaverock. Threave.
Some 13th century castles: Duffus. Bocharm. Lochindorb. Strathbolgie.
Inverurie. Urquhart. Kildrummie. Kincardine. Brechin. Redcastle, Forfar,
Leuchars, Craill, Douglas, Turnberry, Linlithgow, Yester, Roxburgh, Jedburgh,
Lamberton, Morton, Dalswinton, Lochmaben, Congleton. "as well as many others.
The majority of these have disappeared."
A "peel" is a kind of solitary tower.
This book looks to be chock full of good stuff.
The names just go on and on.
So, take a Scotch name like Craigmillar. What is it? A Crag is a rugged rock or
cliff. Suitable for a castle. I guess it means the mill on the rock, or a rock
that ground up yer enemies like meal. Meal by the way is Dutch from malen,
meaning to grind, and is the root of the word Maelstrom, for a dangerous
swirling stream. (Stromberg anyone?)
(note: meals and mealtime are unrelated to grinding, those come from Old
English mael, meaning appointed hour or time to eat. A coincidence that it is
now spelled meal and means food.)
Caerlaverock. Some castle on a rock? Nay, I think not. I tried breaking it down
several ways, and discovered that a laverok is a lark in middle english,
chiefly Scotch. But possibly, lavoir, Middle French for wash cistern, rooted in
Latin lavare. I don't think Celtic carrus (wheeled vehicle) is relevant. Of
course an ock is a tough, hard, durable tree. I suppose a lark could be a bird
named in association with a castle that was tough like a tree that got washed
everyday. Or the castle could be named for the bird that washes oaks. Such a
pretty name. I could be full of lark kaka by now.
Get a Webster's, gentle reader, and feed your word hoard.
Caerblodrok?
Bloodstein?
Stearblood?
Rokkeblode?
Just different ways to mean blood-stone. Whatever that might be!
-Another Errick
|
|
| |
In lugnet.castle, Erik Olson writes:
> In lugnet.castle, Shiri Dori writes:
> > > > <fog clears>...
> > > > http://www.geocities.com/shiri_lego/inn.html
> > <snip>
> > Thanks! It's just that near such an amazing thing like the Blood Stone
> > Castle,
> > it shrivels away and transforms to a meek little mouse. :-)
>
> You're in good company, in with that Yellow Castle. It's like fleeing an
> Imperial Star Destroyer, it is.
Well, that's very comforting. :-)
<snip>
> Castles and Keeps of Scotland...
Sounds like a great book for inspiration!
<snip>
> "...and other houses of strength built by the
> princes and barons of old time in the highlands, islands, inlands, and borders
> of the ancient and godfearing kingdom of Scotland."
That's a great description. Can I coax you to scan some of these? Will bribery
do the trick? :-)
> So, wonderful names of Scottish castles, illustrated: [..]
> Dumbarton.
Such a dumb town! ;-)
> Craignethan
I have to suggest that this is named after an ancestor of our Craig... :-)
> This book looks to be chock full of good stuff.
Definitely!
<snip>
> Meal by the way is Dutch from malen,
> meaning to grind, and is the root of the word Maelstrom, for a dangerous
> swirling stream. (Stromberg anyone?)
Well, Pawel has Strombachter. Maybe it's indirect but that might be the root
of the name.
Thanks for the great language enlightment! It's very interesting, forgive me
from sniping all over the place... I'll take notes of the other bloodstone
names.
-Shiri
|
|
| |
"Erik Olson" <olsone@spamcop.net> writes:
> Castles and Keeps of Scotland...
Barnes and Noble had this a couple years back, and may still do. My copy
says "1993 Barnes and Noble Books".
I was hoping for more detailed pictures and plans, but there is certainly
a lot of historical stuff in it.
--
Don't design inefficiency in - it'll happen in the implementation.
Chris Gray cg@ami-cg.GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA
http://www.GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA/cg/
|
|
| |
In lugnet.castle, Erik Olson writes:
> Caerlaverock. Some castle on a rock? Nay, I think not. I tried breaking it • down
> several ways, and discovered that a laverok is a lark in middle english,
> chiefly Scotch. But possibly, lavoir, Middle French for wash cistern, rooted • in
> Latin lavare. I don't think Celtic carrus (wheeled vehicle) is relevant. Of
> course an ock is a tough, hard, durable tree. I suppose a lark could be a bird
> named in association with a castle that was tough like a tree that got washed
> everyday. Or the castle could be named for the bird that washes oaks. Such a
> pretty name. I could be full of lark kaka by now.
While I can't answer what the name means, I can tell you that Caerlaverock
Castle was the seat of the Maxwell clan. It's walls never fell to siege (I
don't think) and it was considered one of the strongest castles in Scotland
due to it's unique three sided design.
|
|
| |
Jason Maxwell wrote:
> In lugnet.castle, Erik Olson writes:
> > Caerlaverock. Some castle on a rock? Nay, I think not. I tried breaking it • down
> > several ways, and discovered that a laverok is a lark in middle english,
> > chiefly Scotch. But possibly, lavoir, Middle French for wash cistern, rooted • in
> > Latin lavare. I don't think Celtic carrus (wheeled vehicle) is relevant. Of
> > course an ock is a tough, hard, durable tree. I suppose a lark could be a bird
> > named in association with a castle that was tough like a tree that got washed
> > everyday. Or the castle could be named for the bird that washes oaks. Such a
> > pretty name. I could be full of lark kaka by now.
>
> While I can't answer what the name means, I can tell you that Caerlaverock
> Castle was the seat of the Maxwell clan. It's walls never fell to siege (I
> don't think) and it was considered one of the strongest castles in Scotland
> due to it's unique three sided design.
I think 'Caer' was a Gaelic word for castle. I can't find any proof for that
beyond the great number of castles named Caer <something>, though.
(In addition, two of my favorite series of children's books had 'Caer'
castles in them. The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander had several
Caers, and C.S. Lewis' Narnia chronicles had Cair Paravel.)
J
|
|
| |
In lugnet.castle, Jeff Johnston writes:
> Jason Maxwell wrote:
>
> > While I can't answer what the name means, I can tell you that Caerlaverock
> > Castle was the seat of the Maxwell clan. It's walls never fell to siege (I
> > don't think) and it was considered one of the strongest castles in Scotland
> > due to it's unique three sided design.
>
> I think 'Caer' was a Gaelic word for castle. I can't find any proof for that
> beyond the great number of castles named Caer <something>, though.
I believe it can also mean "town", or "village", as well. Perhaps it means
"settlement"? I've been meaning to look it up one of these days. :D
> (In addition, two of my favorite series of children's books had 'Caer'
> castles in them. The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander had several
> Caers, and C.S. Lewis' Narnia chronicles had Cair Paravel.)
The Prydain Chronicles are one of my favorites, too! I need to purchase copies
of that series... :)
Jeff
|
|
| |
In lugnet.castle, Jeff Stembel writes:
> In lugnet.castle, Jeff Johnston writes:
> > Jason Maxwell wrote:
> > I think 'Caer' was a Gaelic word for castle. I can't find any proof for that
> > beyond the great number of castles named Caer <something>, though.
I was guessing Gaelic too but it appears to be Welsh.
> I believe it can also mean "town", or "village", as well. Perhaps it means
> "settlement"? I've been meaning to look it up one of these days. :D
Found in at http://www.cs.brown.edu/fun/welsh/LexiconForms.html. It's framed
so you need to run the search yourself but it comes up as "wall;castle;town."
Everyone seems to have the right idea.
> > (In addition, two of my favorite series of children's books had 'Caer'
> > castles in them. The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander had several
> > Caers, and C.S. Lewis' Narnia chronicles had Cair Paravel.)
>
> The Prydain Chronicles are one of my favorites, too! I need to purchase • copies
> of that series... :)
>
> Jeff
The Science Fiction Book Club has (had?) a single volume of the Prydain
stories. I think there were five in that volume - is that all of them?
John
|
|
| |
John Radtke wrote:
> In lugnet.castle, Jeff Stembel writes:
> > > (In addition, two of my favorite series of children's books had 'Caer'
> > > castles in them. The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander had several
> > > Caers, and C.S. Lewis' Narnia chronicles had Cair Paravel.)
> >
> > The Prydain Chronicles are one of my favorites, too! I need to purchase • copies
> > of that series... :)
> >
> > Jeff
>
> The Science Fiction Book Club has (had?) a single volume of the Prydain
> stories. I think there were five in that volume - is that all of them?
Er...mostly. The main series had five books (_The Book of Three_,
_The Black Cauldron_, _The Castle of Llyr_, _Taran Wanderer_,
_The High King_.) However, there are other books & short stories set
in Prydain. The only one I remember offhand is (I think) _Coll and his White
Pig_, but I think there are 2 or 3 others.
J
|
|
| |
In lugnet.castle, Jeff Johnston writes:
> John Radtke wrote:
>
> > In lugnet.castle, Jeff Stembel writes:
> > > > (In addition, two of my favorite series of children's books had 'Caer'
> > > > castles in them. The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander had several
> > > > Caers, and C.S. Lewis' Narnia chronicles had Cair Paravel.)
> > >
> > > The Prydain Chronicles are one of my favorites, too! I need to purchase
> > > copies of that series... :)
> > >
> > > Jeff
> >
> > The Science Fiction Book Club has (had?) a single volume of the Prydain
> > stories. I think there were five in that volume - is that all of them?
>
> Er...mostly. The main series had five books (_The Book of Three_,
> _The Black Cauldron_, _The Castle of Llyr_, _Taran Wanderer_,
> _The High King_.) However, there are other books & short stories set
> in Prydain. The only one I remember offhand is (I think) _Coll and his White
> Pig_, but I think there are 2 or 3 others.
>
> J
There are at least two more: _The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain_, and
the book about Fflewder Fflam. I *still* haven't figured out the name of that
one yet... :\
Jeff
|
|
| |
Jeff Stembel wrote:
> In lugnet.castle, Jeff Johnston writes:
> > John Radtke wrote:
> >
> > > In lugnet.castle, Jeff Stembel writes:
> > > > > (In addition, two of my favorite series of children's books had 'Caer'
> > > > > castles in them. The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander had several
> > > > > Caers, and C.S. Lewis' Narnia chronicles had Cair Paravel.)
> > > >
> > > > The Prydain Chronicles are one of my favorites, too! I need to purchase
> > > > copies of that series... :)
>
> > > The Science Fiction Book Club has (had?) a single volume of the Prydain
> > > stories. I think there were five in that volume - is that all of them?
> >
> > Er...mostly. The main series had five books (_The Book of Three_,
> > _The Black Cauldron_, _The Castle of Llyr_, _Taran Wanderer_,
> > _The High King_.) However, there are other books & short stories set
> > in Prydain. The only one I remember offhand is (I think) _Coll and his White
> > Pig_, but I think there are 2 or 3 others.
>
> There are at least two more: _The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain_, and
> the book about Fflewder Fflam. I *still* haven't figured out the name of that
> one yet... :\
A search on Amazon reveals: The Truthful Harp. Long out of print, unfortunately.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0030656354/qid=963488035/sr=1-101/102-4744656-3148118
J
|
|
|
