I don't know about the "Bush" part. I suspect that is an old English term that had some meaning in the past. There is a neighborhood in West London known as Shepard's Bush. Bruce Terrell ----- Original Message ----- From: Connie Lapallo <[log in to unmask]> Date: Sunday, January 7, 2007 7:33 am Subject: Re: Jordan's Journey > Hen-RECK-ah (for Henrico) brings us full circle to the Beggar's Bush > question. That soft sound, changing an "i" to a short "e", > demonstrateshow "Biker's Bush" may have been pronounced and/or > spelled "Bicker's > Bush". Then, softening the "c" sound to a "g" sound as they often did > changes it to "Bigger's Bush" or "Beggar's Bush". > > Knowing that "Biker" sounded like "Beggar" may be the reason they > chose "bush"--playing off the phrase Neil pointed out in literature > from1588. But no doubt no one considered Biker a beggar and it was > probablymore playful than anything else. "Bush" is also an easy way > to make > Biker's land alliterative, like Pace's Pains and Jordan's Journey. I > envision them having fun choosing these names. > > Other sound changes in this old speech: since "r's" were often > changed to > an "aw" sound, "Barker" becomes "Bawka". Given all this, the name > "Biker"could be "Barker" and sounds like "Beggar". In fact, there > was also a > Barker near Jordan's land, and perhaps he was the same man as Biker. > > I believe these soft, melodious sounds of Eastern Virginia are mostly > English West Country in origin, where many of the Virginia > colonists were > from. It's haunting speech and lovely. > > By the way, thanks for all the JERR-dan stories! I love that this old > pronunciation is still around--France to England to Virginia to > variousstates...and still going! > > Connie Lapallo > Author of DARK ENOUGH TO SEE THE STARS IN A JAMESTOWN SKY > www.ConnieLapallo.com > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the > instructionsat http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html