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From: deb5@ellis.uchicago.edu (Daniel von Brighoff)
Subject: Re: Linguistic history of Mc & Mac in Scotland?
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References: <1995May10.135154.29062@onionsnatcorp.ox.ac.uk> <D8E4np.nB@midway.uchicago.edu> <goolsby-1105951001510001@port47.rain.org>
Date: Fri, 12 May 1995 05:43:50 GMT
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In article <goolsby-1105951001510001@port47.rain.org>,
J Goolsby <goolsby@rain.org> wrote:
>
>> <Daniel "Da" von Brighoff> wrote:
>[snip]
>> hard, hart "strong, hard"
>
>Is their a connection between 'hard' and 'ard'? If so, when or how did
>'ard' come to mean excessive? 

Yes, but I'm not sure when the semantic shift took place.  As in so
many things, blame the (Old) French.
>
>Doesn't coward mean excessively shy (nonconfrontational) rather than
>strong like a cow?

"coward" has nothing to do with cows.  It comes from Latin CAVDA through
Old French coue.
-- 
	 Daniel "Da" von Brighoff    /\          Dilettanten
	(deb5@midway.uchicago.edu)  /__\         erhebt Euch
				   /____\      gegen die Kunst!
