|
|
Dr. Jamshid Ibrahim wrote:
> The German word for stone ,,Stein" is used in German very widely in
> combinations particularly with proper names like surnames, names of
> streets....
> 1. The combination of some words like Bernstein is clear to me but I
> can't understand a name like Einstein "one stone".
> 2. Germany is not that mountainous so why this overuse of "Stein"(
> maybe particularly in the north?) Any historic explanation?
As you probably know full well, there are two totally unrelated types
of German names including "stein".
a) Names derived from geographical features suitable for the placement
of a medieval style defensive burg. The name of the geographical
feature is then used as a family name, either for the owners or for
wannabe owners or for locals who moved away and got called "the people
fron x-stein.
b) Names in which "stein" means jewel--like your example
Bernstein=amber, Marmelstein=marble, rubinstein=ruby, eckstein=diamond.
For historical reasons these names are usually borne by people of
Jewish origin.
No useful purpose other than obfuscation is served by mixing the two
classes of names.
I think Einstein is one of the jewel-names.
Gary
|
|