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Rated: 13+ · Message Forum · Writing · #1474311
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Oct 3, 2015 at 1:20am
#2885628
Edited: October 3, 2015 at 1:26am
Re: Historian's Obsession...
I might be able to simplify this for you, Prof. Sometimes you need a linguist (albeit in my case an amateur one) rather than a historian.

Moira is indeed neither Irish nor Scottish. But the reason people associated it with the Gaelic countries has to do with Anglicization of Gaelic names. The original Irish name that acquired the spelling "Moira" is MƔire. This is a variation on Muire, the Gaelic name for the Virgin Mary. In Irish tradition, "Muire" is reserved for her, while the similar sounding "MƔire" is used for other Marys.

To my ear, MĆ”ire is pronounced /'mɔÉŖĢÆĖÉ¹É™/ , which is more or less equivalent to the middle and final syllables of "Palmyra", and not too different to the typical pronunciation of Moira.

The question is whether the spelling is legit within your story, and that comes down to period. I think by the late eighteenth century Anglicized names were fairly common in Ireland, but I'm not sure exactly when the shift began. Medieval Ireland certainly would be too early for English spellings.
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Eric Fretheim
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MESSAGE THREAD
Historian's Obsession... · 10-03-15 12:37am
by Professor Q Author IconMail Icon
*Star* Re: Historian's Obsession... · 10-03-15 1:20am
by Eric the Fred Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Historian's Obsession... · 10-03-15 1:48am
by Professor Q Author IconMail Icon
Re: Historian's Obsession... · 10-03-15 7:18am
by BrandiwynšŸŽ¶ Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Historian's Obsession... · 10-03-15 5:23pm
by Professor Q Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Historian's Obsession... · 10-03-15 5:37pm
by BrandiwynšŸŽ¶ Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Historian's Obsession... · 10-03-15 9:22pm
by Professor Q Author IconMail Icon

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