Re: _Chamant_ (was: Elvish ideas)

Quoting John Cowan <jcowan@...>:

> 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.
Cool.

It just occured to me, however, that the definition I gave above isn't
strictly correct - the _can_ or _cea_ also belongs to the _camath_, along with
those owing allegiance to him/her.

                                                              Andreas

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