NEW NAMES AND OLD 199 



" English " names which came from exotic sources, as : 

 Tulip (Tulipa) from thoulyban (Persian), a turban; 

 Lavender from Lavandula (Latin) ; Violet from the 

 Latin name Viola ; and Lily from Lilium (Latin). These 

 changes where there are changes are obvious cor- 

 ruptions. It is the same with Rose, Paeony and many 

 others. Carrot is not good English, but comes from the 

 Latin Carota, while Cauliflower derives from the Latin 

 ca^{l^ flora " flower-headed." Thyme is from Thymus, 

 Borage from B or ago, Mint from Mentha, again all exotic. 



Among trees, the origin of Elm (Ulmus), Cypress 

 (Cupressus), Tamarisk (Tamarix), Juniper (Juniperus) 

 and Poplar (Populus) is obvious ; none is English. 



These examples will show that a writer who runs a tilt 

 against Latin names should walk warily, for the very 

 examples which he is likely to quote as good old English 

 names are Latin names which have been chipped and 

 rounded to fit English tongues. 



Admittedly many popular names are good English. 

 We have a familiar example in the Woodbine, which 

 derives its name from the verb bindan, to bind, and 

 Bindweed comes from the same root. The allusion is, 

 of course, to the strong binding habit of the twining 

 shoots. 



The Hawthorn was simply the hedge thorn ; from 

 haga, a hedge. Haw was haga in old English. From the 

 same source comes ha-ha (formerly haw-haw), a sunk 

 hedge. 



Daisy (day's eye) comes from E age-eye ; Oak from ac 

 (note also Acton and Uckfield, towns which took their 

 names from the Oak, and stand for oak-town and oak- 

 field respectively) ; Henbane from bana, a slayer, in 

 allusion to the poisonous nature of the plant ; Leek 

 from leac (note also garlic, hemlock and barley or barlic) ; 



