Chaucerian Onomastics: The Formation of Personal Names in Chaucer's Works
- Author / Editor
- DeWeever, Jacqueline.
Chaucerian Onomastics: The Formation of Personal Names in Chaucer's Works
- Published
- Names 28 (1980): 1-31.
- Description
- Chaucer uses 636 proper names (excluding about 300 additional topographical and geographical names). They fall into four categories: astrological, Biblical, classical, and mythological. Names from Latin and Greek appear in the oblique case (e.g., "Isidis," gen. sing. of "Isis"). Names may show metathesis. There is inconsistency of spelling, e.g., i/y, e/i. Names may be contracted for metrical reasons. The spelling may be determined by pronunciation.
- Chaucer Subjects
- Language and Word Studies