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A little lamb is a lambkin, right? Not in everyday use any more, but we still recognise it. Same as the -tje in Dutch and the -chen in German. Well, a little John used to be a Johnkin, -> Johnkie, -> Johkie, ->Jackie, -> Jack. The arrival in
England of the French, who nasalised N sounds out of existence, must have helped. 1066 And All That roolz, OK?
England of the French, who nasalised N sounds out of existence, must have helped. 1066 And All That roolz, OK?
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Thanks Annezka for solving this mystery for me :)
You rool :P
You rool :P
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Jack is from Jock, which is the Scottish pet form of John. Hope that helps. :o)
~Rebecca
~Rebecca
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Hey Rebecca,
I suspect it was the other way around. Hate to admit it, but English (or partial derivations thereof, which eventually became "Scots") was the dominant language in most of southern (Lowland) Scotland from about 1200 on, courtesy of frequent Plantagenet, then Tudor, invasions and occupations. Therefore, it stands to reason that English Jack => Scots Jock.
"Jack" itself has a tradition in Scotland, but as a SURNAME derived from the French name "Jacques". My dear departed gmother bore that surname at birth. It is definitely a Lowlands name and not clan-related.
- Da.
I suspect it was the other way around. Hate to admit it, but English (or partial derivations thereof, which eventually became "Scots") was the dominant language in most of southern (Lowland) Scotland from about 1200 on, courtesy of frequent Plantagenet, then Tudor, invasions and occupations. Therefore, it stands to reason that English Jack => Scots Jock.
"Jack" itself has a tradition in Scotland, but as a SURNAME derived from the French name "Jacques". My dear departed gmother bore that surname at birth. It is definitely a Lowlands name and not clan-related.
- Da.
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Thanks, Rebecca!
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