Hello Listers,
'Colonials' and others before and after them didn't necessarily 'derive'
nicknames, they enjoyed short and unique if not 'cute' names that
rolled-off-the-tongue easily, the least effort of their tongue and lips, the
better. They also enjoyed names that began with an easily pronounced letter
having a 'bite,' e.g. Robert>Rob>Bob, Richard>Rick>Dick, Edward>Ed>Ted,
William>Will>Bill, Martha>Mattie>Patty or Patsy, Margaret>Meg>Peg, etc.
Likewise, how did my first proved ancestor, Valentine McDonald, b. 11 Jan
1760 in South Branch of the Potomac River Manor, Virginia (now WV) become
'Felty?' Wye of course, from Valentine becoming 'Valty' for short, but
which required so much effort to pronounce (beginning with a 'Vee' sound
that even required well conditioned nose-muscles to formulate, quickly
changing to an open-mouthed short-a 'aaahh' sound)....that it very soon
became 'Felty,' since this sound could be evoked with the effort of an
almost closed-mouth ventriloquist. Now this was such a unique if not cute
name that nobody ever bothered to shorten it further or begin it with a
harder 'bite-letter.' So...my ancestor was never known as Belty or Pelty,
nor was the rather awkward 'el' part of 'Felty' ever dropped or
substituted....to my knowledge. (Please let me know of any exceptions
immediately.)
Btw, 'nickname' evolved from the original English word, 'ekename'
(eke=enlarge.) Some of you may wish to contemplate how this may have
occurred.
Source: Genealogy and history research + intuition, except for the 'ekename'
info that came from a fat book on my shelf.
Thanks for the summer 'breakfast.'
Neil McDonald
Uhhh, Independent Researcher having many, many years of experience(s.)
----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 7:24 AM
Subject: Martha = Patsy?
> Here's a question that will really get the list out of its summer
> doldrums. Martha Washington and Martha Jefferson were both known as
> "Patsy." How did the Colonials derive "Patsy" as a nickname for Martha?
> There seems to be no relation in the sounds, or anything.
>
> HW
>
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