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ArchivesRe: surname Armster is from...?
in reply to a message by Juliana
This is what I found:
Contraction of ARMBRUSTER (maker of crossbows).
(Rosa und Volker Kohlheim, Familiennamen, Mannheim 2000)
Contraction of ARMBRUSTER (maker of crossbows).
(Rosa und Volker Kohlheim, Familiennamen, Mannheim 2000)
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The German word "Armbrust" (crossbow) is somewhat funny: it translates "arm-chest", and a lot of Germans would think, this has something to do with the way you handle this weapon (using your arms and holding it in front of your chest). But the etymology is completely different. It's from Latin "arcuballists" (bow catapult).
This kind of folk etymology appears fairly often in Germany and I would say it's quite effective. Take the German word for "hammock": Hängematte ("hanging mat"), which describes exactly the purpose of the object, just by taking up the sound of the original word (via the Spanis "hamaca") and changing it a bit.
The German word "Armbrust" (crossbow) is somewhat funny: it translates "arm-chest", and a lot of Germans would think, this has something to do with the way you handle this weapon (using your arms and holding it in front of your chest). But the etymology is completely different. It's from Latin "arcuballists" (bow catapult).
This kind of folk etymology appears fairly often in Germany and I would say it's quite effective. Take the German word for "hammock": Hängematte ("hanging mat"), which describes exactly the purpose of the object, just by taking up the sound of the original word (via the Spanis "hamaca") and changing it a bit.
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Thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to share that information with me! I thought I'd be wondering forever. I really appreciate the time you took to look that up. ^_^
Thanks for taking the time to share that information with me! I thought I'd be wondering forever. I really appreciate the time you took to look that up. ^_^
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