Re: Cant (was: Question about Romlangs/CeltiConlangs)
| From: | Eamon Graham <robertg@...> |
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| Date: | Thursday, August 22, 2002, 9:27 |
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Jan van Steenbergen wrote:
> I knew that this strange Irish-based language Shelta is also known as "the
> Cant", but somehow never realized it could be derived from Latin "cantare".
> Do you know if those Scottish sailors' song, IIRC shanties, have the same
> etymology?
>
> Jan
Scottish "shanty" or English "chantey/chanty" is supposed to be a
corruption of the French imperative chantez meaning "sing!" In this
case, the Scottish pronunciation of the initial is closer to the
French. So I suppose there is an indirect relationship to Latin
"cantare."
Incidentally, did "the Cant" come from Latin directly or via Irish
caint (which MacBain derives from Latin through Old Irish canim and
relates to Welsh cana and Breton kana)?
Eamon
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