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ArchivesRe: Meaning of Marlon?
in reply to a message by Ju-lisha
I'm not 100% sure since it's Old French, but I'm French and I've never heard of a word like "marlon" or "marle", -on being a diminutive...
Oh wait, there's the word "merle", but it doesn't mean hawk or falcon, but blackbird... And it's French, not Old French...
Oh wait, there's the word "merle", but it doesn't mean hawk or falcon, but blackbird... And it's French, not Old French...
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I remember there was a guy on this board claiming tjat the FRrench word "merle" could also mean "falcon". This is what he wrote:
"Lumping up the multiple sources, a 'merlin' is defined as:
A small falcon of northern European & American regions. It has predominantly dark plumage and a black-striped tail.
The scientific names are 'falco columbarius' (pigeon hawk), 'falco lithofalco' (stone hawk?) and 'falco salon/aesalon' (salt/copper/hall/room halk? [purely guesswork]).
The lumped derivations are as follows:
Middle English 'merlin' > Old English 'merlion' > Anglo-Norman 'merilun' > French '[é]merillon' > Old French 'esmerillon' > Old French 'esmeril' > Old High German 'smirl' / German 'schmerl' > Latin 'merula' meaning 'blackbird.' "
But he was referring MERLIN, not to MARLON.
Andy ;—)
"Lumping up the multiple sources, a 'merlin' is defined as:
A small falcon of northern European & American regions. It has predominantly dark plumage and a black-striped tail.
The scientific names are 'falco columbarius' (pigeon hawk), 'falco lithofalco' (stone hawk?) and 'falco salon/aesalon' (salt/copper/hall/room halk? [purely guesswork]).
The lumped derivations are as follows:
Middle English 'merlin' > Old English 'merlion' > Anglo-Norman 'merilun' > French '[é]merillon' > Old French 'esmerillon' > Old French 'esmeril' > Old High German 'smirl' / German 'schmerl' > Latin 'merula' meaning 'blackbird.' "
But he was referring MERLIN, not to MARLON.
Andy ;—)
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Maybe "merle" could mean both "blackbird" and "falcon" (although it would be strange since these birds are really different) in Old French. I dunno.
The only word used in French nowadays is "merle" meaning "blackbird" though. Not "merlin" (who is used by old people to say "wizard") or marlon.
The only word used in French nowadays is "merle" meaning "blackbird" though. Not "merlin" (who is used by old people to say "wizard") or marlon.
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