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_Chamant_ (was: Elvish ideas)

From:John Cowan <jcowan@...>
Date:Thursday, August 7, 2003, 21:52
Andreas Johansson scripsit:

> _Chamant_, which word I can't > think of an adequate English translation of. It's the definite pl of _camath_, > which denotes the group of people owning allegiance to a lord (_can_) or lady > (_cea_)*.
"The Covassalages". "Covassals" are vassals who owe homage and fealty to the same lord (or lady), and "covassalage", though not AFAIK attested, is a reasonable term for the relationship between covassals. It is common in English for semantic extension to take a term for a relationship and extend it to a group whose members stand in that relationship ("brotherhood", e.g.). Then we just make it plural and definite. Could anyone who has an OED available look up "covassalage", please? -- Income tax, if I may be pardoned for saying so, John Cowan is a tax on income. --Lord Macnaghten (1901) jcowan@reutershealth.com

Replies

JS Bangs <jaspax@...>
Andreas Johansson <andjo@...>