Page:Studies in Lowland Scots - Colville - 1909.djvu/272

248 oom, L. avus, avunculus (cf. uncle, nunkey), all point to a primitive type of family life. The other names for family relationship show a distinct advance on the monosyllabic type. We have now reached the significant or epithet stage. The affix -ter is a very common inflexion to show agency. Thus in the Vedas mâtar is used as a participle. The th in father and mother is thought to be due to the influence of brother. The Sans. vidhávâ, a widow, was early explained by the native grammarians as from vi=without, and a fictitious dhavâ=a husband. The initial gw in the Welsh is the general Celtic equivalent of Teutonic w, cf. guarantee=warrant, Guillaume=William. Under orphan, C. arbe appears in Sc. and M.E. orpiet=peevish, quarrelsome, and in the phrase, to erp=be constantly grumbling, "to harp upon a grievance." It will be observed that grandfather is unrepresented. The head of the family was the father, whether he was really so or not, and engrossed all attention. Grandson, however, was named, S. nápât, Ved. nap=offspring, and Lat. nepot (is), from a root nap=bind. With this our nephew and niece are cognate.

=(a) thinker, Ved. Mánu, L. mâs (mans), T. Mannus, Go. mans;=(b) chosen, hero, S. vîra, L. vir, Ir. fear, Lit. vyras, Icel. verr, Go. wair, E. wor-ld, Ger. Wel-t;=(c) strong, S. nara, náry-a (manly), Oscan ner, Nero, Neria (wife of Mars) ;=(d) terrestrian, L. homo, Lit. zeme (land), Go. guman, yeoman, bride-groom. =guarded, S. yuvan, L. juvenis, Lit. jaunas, Go. juggo. =conceived, S. vi-garbha, Go. kil-thei, child, calf.

Of these terms the first (a) is specially Teutonic. The Hindoos and the Teutons both used the word, man, for the prototype or ancestor of the human race, and both recognised in man the possession of the god-like gift of reason that looks before and after. The commonest later names in Sans. are mân-ava and man-ushya. Go. mannisk is Ger. Men-sch, and is adjectival. The second (b) is the most widely diffused—S. vâra=suitor, vîrya=vires, vir-tus. Its compounds are extremely interesting: decurio and centurio contain it. Cantuarii is Latinised for Kent-were (men of Kent), wergeld was com-