CHAT: Dom (was: Werewolf)

R A Brown wrote:
BPJ asked:
>> And what's the story behind DOMINU > _Dom_ as an ecclesiatical
>> appellative (if that is the right word?)
>
> Used AFAIK principally by the Benedictine order.
I've checked - it's also used by the Cistercian order. It is not a
general "ecclesiastical appellative." In Italy (but not elsewhere)
clerics, I understand, normally have 'Don' before their name.

>>  I'm not even sure in what language DOMINU > _Dom_ might have happened!
>
> Portuguese.
>
> AFAIK the
>
>> regular outcome is _don_ in both Spanish and Italian, with
>> _doña/donna_ < DOMINA.  Is _Dom_ archaic French?
>
> Nope - it's Portuguese, see above. Why the Benedictines should have
> adopted this form when other took the Spanish/Italian 'Don' I know not.
Other orders did *not* take Spanish/Italian 'Don'. On reflection, I
think that the Benedictine & Cistercian 'Dom' is only coincidentally the
same as Portuguese 'dom'. I think it is almost certainly a medieval
contraction of the Medieval Latin 'Domnus' (Sir, Mr). I do not think it
has anything to do with Vulgar Latin and the vernacular development of
Romancelangs therefrom.

--
Ray
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ray@carolandray.plus.com
http://www.carolandray.plus.com
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Nid rhy hen neb i ddysgu.
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[WELSH PROVERB}