Re: "Cowan" and patronymics generally

[Padraic Brown <pbrown@nova.umuc.edu>]

In di le lun, Jowan 'ap Jowan yscreus:

> Andrew Ferreir yscrifef:
> 
> > I think what has happened to Llewan is that fei- has been swallowed and -l
> > prefixed to Iewan with phonetic rules applied.  Similar to Price being
> > derived from ap Rhys.
> 
> Exactly so, quoth he.
> 
> > Early Welsh law made it
> > clear that a father was responsible for a child's upbringing and
> > legitimacy was not an issue.
> 
> Just so.  In Welsh law (and therefore Kemrese law as well) a son
> was a son and could inherit, whether born in or out of wedlock,
> as long as he was acknowledged as such by his father.
> This differs both from the Roman law (legitimatio per subsequens
> matrimonium), which is the law of Scotland today, and the
> English law which admitted no legitimation whatever.
> 
> This difference between Welsh and English law is the turning point
> of one of Ellis Peters's Brother Cadfael mysteries.

Oo!  Another Cadfael fan!?

> 
> BTW, "Cadfael" is an exceedingly rare name in Welsh history (only
> one person is recorded as bearing it), but I think it would be
> nice for it to appear on the List of Official Brithenig Names.

I agree; is there an etymology in the house?

> 
> -- 
> John Cowan	http://www.ccil.org/~cowan		cowan@ccil.org
> 	You tollerday donsk?  N.  You tolkatiff scowegian?  Nn.
> 	You spigotty anglease?  Nnn.  You phonio saxo?  Nnnn.
> 		Clear all so!  'Tis a Jute.... (FW 16.5)
> 
Padrig.