[Opinions] Re: Vergil & Virgil
in reply to a message by saphirdufeu
There are plenty of names in daily use that make Virgil and/or Vergil look positively mainstream!
I went through a phase of using the -e- spelling when I started the Aeneid too! But it didn't last. Just looks unEnglish, which is fair enough because it is; maybe Virgi- being the start of Virginia (and indeed of virgin etc) is influencing our decisions?
Am I hallucinating, or was there once some mildly prominent American called Virgil, or maybe Vergil - possibly an astronaut? I'd be less surprised to see it used in the USA than if it turned up elsewhere.
Anyway, I wouldn't use it myself: nothing wrong with it, but there are just so many names that I prefer. Wouldn't use Aeneas either! Or Dido; though you might tempt me with Elissa! And Camilla is positively mainstream itself, if a bit too duchessy.
I went through a phase of using the -e- spelling when I started the Aeneid too! But it didn't last. Just looks unEnglish, which is fair enough because it is; maybe Virgi- being the start of Virginia (and indeed of virgin etc) is influencing our decisions?
Am I hallucinating, or was there once some mildly prominent American called Virgil, or maybe Vergil - possibly an astronaut? I'd be less surprised to see it used in the USA than if it turned up elsewhere.
Anyway, I wouldn't use it myself: nothing wrong with it, but there are just so many names that I prefer. Wouldn't use Aeneas either! Or Dido; though you might tempt me with Elissa! And Camilla is positively mainstream itself, if a bit too duchessy.