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Re: Hird - was Re: concerning installation of hurd;request from Norway


From: Guy Bormann
Subject: Re: Hird - was Re: concerning installation of hurd;request from Norway
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 23:37:50 +0200

"Thomas Bushnell, BSG" wrote:
> 
> nisse@lysator.liu.se (Niels Möller) writes:
> 
> > The word exists in Swedish to, although probably less common than in
> > Norwegian (the Quisling association was also new to me, but Swedish
> > world war II history is also quite different from the Norwegian).
> >
> > My popular ethymological handbook (Våra Ord, Norstedts) says that
> > "hird" means body guard. It comes from old English "hir[e]d", via
> > Icelandic literature and old Swedish "hirþ", where it meant body guard
> > or other court folks. Also the same word as German "Heirat", wedding.
> 
> Ah hah!  The OED lists an obsolete English word "hird".
> 
> It means...get ready...
> 
> "A household, family; a company of servants or retainers, a retinue; a
> king's court; also, a monastic household."
> 
> Last attested use in 1440.
> 
> It's the same word you found, judging by the etymology.
In Dutch (incl. Flemish), we have "een horde" which is a group of wild animals
or a large gang of looting soldiers or 'barbarians' (as in "horden Hunnen
trokken
plunderend door Europa"). Actually, the English translation I found in a pocket
dictionary is also "horde" so I'm not sure anymore if it is related.
  On the other hand, the literal translation of herd to Dutch is "kudde" which
is used for cattle or stock in general, and even for a group of buffalos or
wildebeesten. However, the person accompanying a herd of sheep is called "een
herder", much like the German word "Hirte" (as pointed out by Marius).


So, please enlighten me, what was originally meant in naming the Hurd?

Guy




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