[MR] Calvary or Cavalry?

[deepfatfriar at mindspring.com]

OED etymology:

[In 16–17th c. cavallery, a. F. cavallerie (16th c. in Littré), ad. It. cavalleria (= Pr. cavalaria Sp. caballeria):—Romanic type caballa"ria, f. L. caballQrius horseman. See -ery. (The native Fr. form of the word was chevalerie, whence Eng. chivalry.) Massinger (1632) accented ca"vallery, but other spellings appear to indicate "cavallery, whence also "cavalry in the middle of the 17th c. (See also chavallery, chivalry.)] 

And the earliest citation is 1591. So in English, it's barely even period....

Thomas Broadpaunch

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard & Florence Evans <rcfaevans at comcast.net>
Sent: Feb 24, 2005 6:31 PM
To: JBRMM266 at aol.com, atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Subject: Re: [MR] Calvary or Cavalry?

This is simply a coincedence of language.  There is no relationship between
Calvary and cavalry other than their  similarity in sound and spelling.
Think of the city Acre vs. acre.  The city of Acre has nothing to do with a
particular measurment of land.

As for roots.  Equite is "horse rider" in latin.  And, just for fun,
Phillipic means "to love horses" in ancient Greek.  There is a relationship
there with the name "Phillip" and the original meaning.

Ryryd
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <JBRMM266 at aol.com>
To: <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2005 4:57 PM
Subject: [MR] Calvary or Cavalry?


>
>
> Good Gentles:
>
> I've noticed instances, in both speech and writing, of people using
"calvary" when they mean "cavalry."
>
> "Calvary" is the name of the site outside Jerusalem where Jesus of
Nazareth was crucified between two thieves. It is also a term for a
sculpture or bas-relief depicting that event. Has *nothing* to do with
horses.
>
> "Cavalry" is the mounted branch of an army, the ones who fight on
horseback.
>
> Although many, including myself, think the term a bit modern (thinking of
all those old Westerns, probably), the term is descriptive.
>
> None of the dictionaries I've consulted bother to mention its origin, so
it apparently goes back to "time out of memory."
>
> And it IS easier to spell and pronounce than "equestrian" or "equitation,"
though I like the sound of them.
>
> Your servant aye,
> Donal Mac Ruiseart
>
>
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