Re: Swedish alphabet [was: Re: Spanish alphabet]

Mike Adams wrote:

> I expect many of the Swedish names with W were either expatriated Germans and
> others who moved to Sweden, and never got around to changing it to V, since I
> know in German W=V..
> Not sure about why Waldenstrom is W, but likely they are Swedes who lived in
> German[y] or German territory at one time that is now part of Sweden,
AFAIK, no German state, up to and including the semblance of
a state we call the Holy Roman Empire, ever controlled portions
of what is now Sweden.  The reverse was true, however, during
the period of the Wars of Reformation and Counterreformation,
especially during the 30 Years' War : bits of German near Hanover and
Western Pomerania were at various times controlled by Sweden.

> or they moved
> back to Sweden or ... I know alot of people used to speak German in that part of
> Europe, as well as alot of Germans moved out for various reasons.
I think it's just more likely that individuals moved elsewhere, settled
down, and were literate enough to retain their old family names, much
as most people in the United States and Canada today continue to
do so today.

Also, don't forget that the very idea of standardized spellings is a
relatively recent phenomenon.  The English, e.g., didn't really have any
conception of "standard" English until around the mid to late 18th
century, and so there's no particular reason to expect the Swedes
to be particularly any more enlightened on that matter. :)

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Tom Wier <artabanos@...>
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"Cogito ergo sum, sed credo ergo ero."

Denn wo Begriffe fehlen,
Da stellt ein Wort zur rechten Zeit sich ein.
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