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Re: Is this Forum still active?
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Hi Paula, and Mike, and Brad, and Leake. It's good to hear from you all in this format again. I've glanced over the information you sent, Leake, and it's impressive. However when one goes to Wikipedia (the link you sent me) for the origins of the Little Clan it only references 'size' based on Latin terminology as per: " Origins of the clanAccording to Black, Little is a descriptive name and was originally written in??documents as?parvus?meaning little or small.?Given that the name is descriptive it is impossible to find any clear origin of the Little name in Scotland." Since I initially began my interest in surname origins years ago I've noticed a common theme -- that explanations of a surname origin are slanted in favour of any particular language of choice. In other words a guessing game, seemingly without much thought. Why would a person prefer a Latin origin theory for a Gaelic name (if it is indeed Gaelic)? If someone can come up with an alternative ethnic origin of Little I'd gladly consider it. But the language location, and politics in which a name arose should all be considered.? For example why would a Scotsman name his ~100 foot steam yacht the 'Medea' which was built in 1904 (in 51 days) and currently sits (operationally) in the San Diego Maritime museum? This question even arose in a book written about the Medea. The name has a seemingly negative connotation to it which I would paraphrase as a name rhyming with witch. To an Englishman this makes no sense, but to a Scotsman it does. My great grandfather captained the Medea when it was first built for a rich man surnamed Hall who, I believe, lived near Carradale, Kintyre, Argyll, Scotland. Captain? Duncan Martin was a fisherman whose job it was to earn a living fishing in the very dangerous waters around the Kintyre. Many men lost their lives to the sea including his eldest son who seemingly accidentally fell overboard when fishing with his father and younger brother. In an instant he was gone, never to be seen again despite frantic efforts to find him. Deaths on the sea were so common then that a local Campbeltown (where Cpt. Duncan lived) woman made unique sweaters for each fisherman which would then be necessarily used as a positive identification for them upon drowning.? So, in typical Scottish fashion, when a rich man names his yacht he attempts, in disdain for the wicked sea, to name it as having characteristics far greater than the sea. In essence it's like fighting fire with fire. What can defeat something evil? Perhaps something more evil. Thus the name Medea was given to defeat the evil sea -- in my opinion. Today's English speaking yacht enthusiasts have never made that correlation, and are therefore confused as to the Medea name origin. I contend that surname origins are similarly misunderstood by people unfamiliar with the original language and culture. Perhaps a Scot linguist should be commissioned to investigate and change the origin definition of the surname Little. Then perhaps future googling of the name will give them something more resembling a likely probability of the origins of the name. Why should I care? Maybe it's OCD, I don't really know, except that I despise misinformation and wild guesses designed to appease the masses.? I much prefer well thought out theories, even conflicting ones, which tickle my imagination as being more possible than the first silly thought that comes to mind. ;-) Where is this L193 group forum you (Paula) mention? I apologize, Leake, if you gave it to me already. Best, Daryl On Wed, Jan 19, 2022, 10:59 PM Paula Knape via <peknape=[email protected]> wrote:
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