tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758649432241863530.post8303773700155630469..comments2024-03-25T20:43:33.067+00:00Comments on A Clerk of Oxford: 'Lost Literature' and the companions of HerewardClerk of Oxfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08919708325900229717noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758649432241863530.post-15003494225508487862016-05-15T14:24:50.532+01:002016-05-15T14:24:50.532+01:00Yes, that's an interesting one - in Old Englis...Yes, that's an interesting one - in Old English 'prætt' means 'trick, craft' (and there's an adjective 'prættig', meaning 'wily, clever', which was the earliest sense of 'pretty'). The English surname Pratt is supposed to derive from this sense of the word. The modern slang term 'prat' meaning 'idiot' comes later (20th century) and Clerk of Oxfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919708325900229717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758649432241863530.post-6968322921140569262016-05-14T13:15:51.574+01:002016-05-14T13:15:51.574+01:00The phrase "Leofwine Prat, that is 'Craft...The phrase "Leofwine Prat, that is 'Crafty'" caught my eye. I wasn't aware that nickname ever had a positive meaning. The online Oxford dictionary is silent regarding the same. Can you shed some light on this? Thanks. sophy0075https://www.blogger.com/profile/03313315186411760221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758649432241863530.post-90979260605432227612016-05-14T08:36:48.309+01:002016-05-14T08:36:48.309+01:00Thank you, Catherine!
I'm impressed that some...Thank you, Catherine!<br /><br />I'm impressed that someone actually checked the Latin ;) You may well be right, Sue (at least, I hope so too!), though translations of this passage usually have 'villages' - I'm not sure why, since your suggestion does seem more likely...Clerk of Oxfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919708325900229717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758649432241863530.post-15865292490767365942016-05-14T07:13:17.069+01:002016-05-14T07:13:17.069+01:00I rarely comment but wanted you to know that I thi...I rarely comment but wanted you to know that I think your blog is wonderful and I recommend it always. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14208443659763749553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758649432241863530.post-42882322133346389552016-05-14T01:00:29.617+01:002016-05-14T01:00:29.617+01:00My Latin is rather rusty, but surely Hereward set ...My Latin is rather rusty, but surely Hereward set fire to three houses ('villas') rather than three villages. At least, I hope so!Sue Simshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05976537787708670241noreply@blogger.com