Victorian sword stick esoterica

Jim McDougall · 14th August 2025, 05:11 AM

Thanks Alan! It truly is interesting about spellings and even words, which have sometimes changed entirely in meanings (now recorded in 'archaic' dictionaries). As you note, the spellings of names are incredibly varied over the years, and of course relied on the literary skills of those recording them.

As an American aside toward the familiar names from formal, here a common version of Henry is Hank (probably from Dutch dimin. henk), but here in Texas we think of the late Hank Williams for example, and in country music, Henry Williams just wouldnt have had the same twang

You're right about schools these days, too many students probably never heard of Shakespeare. Very sad.

14th August 2025, 05:11 AM	#14
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,506	Thanks Alan! It truly is interesting about spellings and even words, which have sometimes changed entirely in meanings (now recorded in 'archaic' dictionaries). As you note, the spellings of names are incredibly varied over the years, and of course relied on the literary skills of those recording them. As an American aside toward the familiar names from formal, here a common version of Henry is Hank (probably from Dutch dimin. henk), but here in Texas we think of the late Hank Williams for example, and in country music, Henry Williams just wouldnt have had the same twang You're right about schools these days, too many students probably never heard of Shakespeare. Very sad.