[Ads-l] P. S. on "Chas"

[Douglas G. Wilson]

On 5/31/2015 1:01 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      P. S. on "Chas"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I've assumed, without actual knowledge, that "Chas" as a nickname for =
> "Charles", pronounced /tSaez/, originated as a spelling pronunciation =
> for what began as an orthographic abbreviation.  Does anyone know for =
> sure?
>
>
--

Not me. But that's been my assumption also.

Apparently "Josh" (I guess /dZOS/ or /dZaS/) is occasionally used for 
"Joseph": from an analogous old-timey abbreviation written "Josh."?

I don't know of a /dZ&z/ or /dZ&s/ from "Jas." for "James", or a /tOs/ 
or /TOs/ from "Thos." for "Thomas", but maybe they exist for all I know.

"Hy" /haj/ from "Hy." for "Henry" seems like a natural, but ....

-- Doug Wilson

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