Titles
Posted by Marie Bernadette on March 03, 1998 at 14:15:39:
In response to Earls and Counts, written by Constanza on March 03, 1998 at 13:41:03
Why have a countess and not an "earless", or an earl instead of a count? Does anybody know where and how such titles were originated?
Remember that nobles often married other nobles from different countries. The word earl has its roots in Old English, 'eorl'. 'Count' is from the Middle English 'counte' but before that it came from the Old French 'conte' and that came from Latin. Although the English and French have always squabbled, they have also always intermarried. The names of the ranks developed independantly of each other, then when the two peoples intermixed they ended up with two names for the same thing. The English 'marquess' is just their way of saying 'marquis'. Why a countess and not an earless? For one, countess is easier to say! But that aside, perhaps there was no equivalent of 'earless' when the title was first created, so countess was added later when needed. England had some titles already but added others later as their nobility married foreigners. Another explanation is that the English do it just to annoy the French, which is a popular pastime. The French do things to annoy the English; they just don't admit it!
- the French... P.Bingham 14:25:27 3/03/98
(5)
- Oh, they admit it to each other... Marie Bernadette 17:34:48 3/03/98
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- Well, to be perfectly honest... P. Bingham 23:44:12 3/03/98
(3)
- My mother had a similar experience in Québec (nfm) Marie Bernadette 10:51:22 3/04/98
(2)
- It always amazes me Caroline 19:21:19 3/04/98
(1)
- "What's a nice girl like you doing with a name like that?" or... Marie Bernadette 00:48:53 3/05/98
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- "What's a nice girl like you doing with a name like that?" or... Marie Bernadette 00:48:53 3/05/98
(0)
- It always amazes me Caroline 19:21:19 3/04/98
(1)
- My mother had a similar experience in Québec (nfm) Marie Bernadette 10:51:22 3/04/98
(2)
- Well, to be perfectly honest... P. Bingham 23:44:12 3/03/98
(3)
- Oh, they admit it to each other... Marie Bernadette 17:34:48 3/03/98
(4)
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