Re: Marguerite Gerow Wright
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In reply to:
Marguerite Gerow Wright
Denise Phillips 10/27/03
To Denise Phillips:
Regarding your message #475, I think I can answer the Giraud/Guerard question.For two reasons, I believe that these are two different names.
The first is that the pronunciation in French is distinctly different.The English sound represented by the letter "g" + "e" or "i" is almost always composed of two sounds "dg"(soft "g"), as in "gentle", "just", or "edge".The French sound represented by the letter "g"+ "e" or "i" is just "g " with just the buzz without the "d" (the tip touches your upper teeth to make that "d" sound), approximately like the "s" of "measure" in English .
The English sound represented by the letter "g" + "a" or "o" or "u" isalways a hard "g", as is "guard").The French sound represented by the letter "g" + "a" or "o" or "u" isalso always a hard "g" that sounds almost like the English.
Furthermore, the French "i" without another vowel sounds like the "ee" of "seek", and the "e" of Guerard sounds like the "a" of "ache".
Finally the "aud" of French sounds about like the "o" of "ago" ("d" not pronounced).The "ard" of Guerard sounds in French about like the "ar" of "bar" (again, the "d" isn't pronounced).
So, Giraud and Guerard sound very different from each other in French:jeero vs. garar'
The second reason is based on etymology, the original meaning of the name.Here, my source is the "Dictionnaire etymologique des noms de famille et prenoms de France" by Alfred Dauzat, published by Larousse in Paris, 1989.
According to this source, "Giraud" originates in the old Germanic "Ger-wald" where "Ger" = a lance or spear, and "wald" may from a word meaning "to govern".
By the way, the Germanic influence in French resulted from the invasions of Germanic tribes during the very early middle ages, 5th and 6th centuries A.D.
According to Dauzat's "dictionnaire", Guerard originates in the old Germanic "Gar-wald" or"Gar-hard" where "Gar" = hard or strong, and "wald" may from a word meaning "to govern" or "hard" may from a word meaning "illustrious" or "brilliant".
So"Giraud" and "Guerard"not only sound differently in French, but they also have at least a partially different meaning at their origin.
According to my source,"Giraud" has many variants: Gerard, Girard, Gerard +-in (Gerardin) or +-eaux, or +-et or +-ot, or +-on, or Giraud +-at or +-eau, +-oux, +-eau, etc.The source does list the alsacian "Gerhard" as a variant, which does seem more like Guerard to me.
Guerard is listed as having the variants Gueraud, Guerault, Guerbert, Gueraud.
The preponderance of evidence suggests that"Giraud" and "Guerard" are different names.
I taught French at the College of Wooster for 35 years, and among other things I taught French pronunciation.During my Ph.D. studies, I had courses in the history of the development of the French language.
David Wilkin
More Replies:
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Re: Marguerite Gerow Wright
Denise Phillips 11/09/03
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Re: Marguerite Gerow Wright
David Wilkin 11/09/03
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Re: Marguerite Gerow Wright