Vol. 37 No. 1 (1989)
Research Article

Human Life And Activities Reflected In English Field-Names

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  • John Field
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/nam.1989.37.1.31

Published 1989-06-01

Copyright (c) 1989 Maney

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Abstract

Three or four categories of English field-names refer closely to human beings and their activities. Some allude to ownership and include a personal name (e.g., Forman's Close or Old Mary's Field), a description (e.g., Heiress's Land or Grammum's Croft) or a rank or profession (e.g., Lord's Acre, Bishop's Close, or Bakerland). Others honor national heroes (e.g., Wellington or Nelson) or commemorate great men who favored the name-giver's political or religious persuasion. These names are drawn from a wide repertoire and throw light on social and agricultural life in former times and on the complexity of name-giving motivation.

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