LL-L "Etymology" 2009.09.14 (03) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 14 September 2009 - Volume 03
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>

Subject: Etymology

Lowlanders,

And the “wraith” story continues …

“Wraith”, now practically obsolete in English, is considered mostly northern
British, especially Scottish. (Is it still used in Scots?)

Its primary meaning is “ghost” or “specter” of a dead person. It has also
been used to refer to ghost-like beings, including water-sprites, that haunt
certain places or objects.

The earliest extant written occurrence of “wraith” is from 1513 (Late Middle
English):

*Nor **ƺ**it na vane wrathis nor gaistis quent Thi char constrenyt for to
went.
<…>**
**In diuers placis The wraithis walkis of goistis that ar deyd.*


Now the interesting thing is that the etymology of “wraith” is unknown or
unclear. Does any of you have a hunch?

If we assume that the word is originally Northumbrian ~ Scots, we ought to
bear in mind frequent correspondence between the northern [EI] > [E:] sound
(e.g. Scots *ghaist*, *stane*, *bane*) and the southern [oU] sound (e.g.
“ghost”, “stone”, “bone”). “Wraith” could thus be related to southern
“wroth” ~ “wrath” with meanings like “anger”, “fury”, “angry”, “vengeful”,
“to be(come) angry”. If so, there would be a semantic link between haunting
spirits and anger or vengefulness.

Wondering …

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

•

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