to google
William Ryan
wfr at SAS.AC.UK
Sat Nov 17 00:58:55 UTC 2007
Evelyn is not common nowadays for boys but it used to be. Compare
Leslie, Vivian, Sidney, Marion (John Wayne was Marion), all old
hermaphrodite names.
Will
Paul B. Gallagher wrote:
> William Ryan wrote:
>
>> ... As to the h>g transformation, the usual explanation, as far as I
>> recall, is to do with Ukrainian/South Russian pronunciation of g in
>> the 17th-18 c. I do remember hearing a lecture about Evelyn Waugh in
>> Leningrad University in 1962 when the lecturer pronounced his
>> subject's name as Evlin Wog. He is usually referred to now more
>> phonetically as the oriental-looking Uo. Given that great writer's
>> snobbishness about being an English gentleman both forms no doubt
>> have him spluttering in his grave.
>
> On a barely related topic, I've always wondered whether Waugh's
> parents "gave him a girl's name" or the name has evolved over time. I
> see from his bio that his first name was "Arthur" and "Evelyn" was his
> middle name, but I can't tell whether he was given the latter after a
> grandmother or something. And with a father named "Arthur" it would be
> reasonable for him to seek something more distinctive.
>
> Anyway, just musing in ignorance. Anyone know the answers?
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
options, and more. Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
More information about the SEELANG
mailing list