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Help[Facts] Mine El. Maybe not a name directly but related
So on the page for Nell it says "medieval affectionate phrase mine El, which was later reinterpreted as my Nel". I've never seen this before. Where/when was this phrased used and why?
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The Middle Ages being what they were, I can't imagine that any accurate dating could be possible. People were mostly illiterate for a start!
However, Nell, Ned and Nan all have the same explanation.
Then there's the snake we know as 'an adder'. In Old English it was 'a naeddre'. People who, of course, heard the name spoken rather than seeing it written down, assumed wrongly that it was "an aeddre' and when it was written down in that form, the usage spread. That's one of the ways language works!
However, Nell, Ned and Nan all have the same explanation.
Then there's the snake we know as 'an adder'. In Old English it was 'a naeddre'. People who, of course, heard the name spoken rather than seeing it written down, assumed wrongly that it was "an aeddre' and when it was written down in that form, the usage spread. That's one of the ways language works!
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I thought if it was noteworthy enough to be mentioned here that it must have some sort of documentation of being used. I can't find anything! :|
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I seem to recall reading that "mine" was used before vowels, but I don't have a reference to verify that. It makes sense, though.
Hanks & Hodges, usually reliable about etymology, state that the initial N "originat[ed] in the misdivision of phrases such as 'mine Ed'," so at least that part is generally accepted.
Hanks & Hodges, usually reliable about etymology, state that the initial N "originat[ed] in the misdivision of phrases such as 'mine Ed'," so at least that part is generally accepted.
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