LL-L: "Morphology" (was "Signage") LOWLANDS-L, 28.AUG.2001 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 28.AUG.2001 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Ian James Parsley <parsleyij at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L: "Signage" LOWLANDS-L, 28.AUG.2001 (01) [E]

Pat,

Well of course the feminine '-ster' ending is well
known in Dutch and to Germanists generally. It appears
that it did indeed expand to cover both genders in
Scots - hence 'brewster', 'baxter', 'wabster' (weaver,
surname more often now 'Webster') and others.

Actually the agent noun suffix -ar is more common in
Scots ('millar', 'makar' as well as forms such as
'beggar' and 'burglar' of course). The suffix -ie is
occasional as well it seems, most notably perhaps
'gamie' for English 'player'.

Others may have a better historical knowledge of this
than I...

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Ian James Parsley
www.geocities.com/parsleyij
+44 (0)77 2095 1736
JOY - "Jesus, Others, You"

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