Re: Celtic months (was: Some suggestions)

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

On Thu, 28 Jan 1999, John Cowan wrote:

> Andrew Smith wrote:
> 
> > Another word for the lexicon *kenig (m).  Would it be vital enough to
> > knock 'deneir' out of its place as the currency name for the coin, I
> > wonder?
> 
> Here in the U.S. the money of account has been "cents" for two
> centuries, but we still call the coins "pennies" (100 cents make
> a dollar, but 100 pennies make a fistful).  Perhaps some
> similar effect operates *there*?

I don't see why England *there* would have such an effect on Kemr; though
I don't really have a problem with *kenig as either official or popular.
One might think, though, that the more entrenched denarium might win out.

There's certainly plenty of room for both these terms, and others, to
coexist.  Now another possibility: "penny" has also been used to name the
smallest circulating coin going at the time; could *kenig have a place in
the popular lexicon describing any small value coin, or even a penny
itself?

> 
> FWIW: In Harry Turtledove's alternate history _A Different Flesh_, the
> Federated Commonwealths (= the U.S.) use "denaire" as their
> dollar-equivalent.

It's a very widespread monetary name, from Peru in the west to Afghanistan
in the east, used in one form or other by nearly 20 countries.

Padraic.

> 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.... (Finnegans Wake 16.5)