LL-L "History" 2007.07.14 (01) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  -  14 July 2007 - Volume 01

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From: Sandy Fleming <sandy at scotstext.org>
Subject: LL-L "History" 2007.07.10 (04) [E]

> From: R. F. Hahn < sassisch at yahoo.com>
> Subject: History

> The apparent occurrence of *haim- in both "Cham avi" and (Hammaburg >)
> "Hamburg" ought not necessarily lead us to the conclusion that there
> is a direct link, that Hamburg began as a Chamavi settlement.  *Haim-
> just denoted something like 'home', 'own place', 'settlement'.

The area of Somerset where I live is sometimes referred to as the "Land
of Ham". I tend to assume that this covers anything within clear sight
of Ham Hill, a prominent ridge above two villages neighbouring mine.
These villages are called Norton-sub-Hamdon and Stoke-sub-Hamdon, but an
older twentieth century sign shows the name "Stoke-under-Ham".

On top of Ham Hill there's an ancient quarry (it was quarried by the
Romans, I've heard) which I believe is still in use although I don't
seem to see much evidence of work going on there. Accordingly, most of
the houses in the surrounding villages, including mine, and the town of
Martock and parts of Yeovil, are made of a yellow-coloured stone called
hamstone.

I don't know what all this relates to etymologically, but about a few
miles beyond Martock there's the village of Muchelney, and a smaller
village near there is called "Muchelney Ham."

Sandy Fleming
http://scotstext.org/

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: History

Thanks, Sandy.

So I take it that that area has a definite Saxon (or Frisian?) past.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (dictionary.oed.com/):

[OE. *ham*(*m*, *hom*(*m*, str. m. = OFris. *ham*, *hem*, *him*, NFris. *
hamm*, EFris. *ham*, *hamm* a pasture or meadow enclosed with a ditch, LGer.
*hamm* piece of enclosed land (on the Rhine, 'meadow'); WFlem. *ham* meadow,
in Kilian *hamme*, *ham* 'pratum pascuum'; a word confined on the continent
to the Frisian and Lower Saxon area, where its specific application varies
as in England.]

I think there's some confusion (and I am no exception) between this word and
*haim (home).  The Chamavi could have been simply named as "pasture/meadow
landers" rather than as "settlers."

In Northern Germany there's a town called Hamm, by the way.

It would be interesting to map all British place names containing "ham" and
see if it is consistent with what we now about Saxon concentrations in
Britain.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

•

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