THE MEANING OF " GERMAN. "
[To TER EDITOR OF TER "SPICIA/011.-]
SIR,—A
proper of the discussion in your correspondence columns respecting the meaning of the word " Bosehe,' it ma.) not prove uninteresting at the present time to draw attention to the origin and meaning of the word "German." Curiously enough, the word appears to be of Gallic and not of German origin, and is so regarded by the Germans themselves (see footnote on p.18 of Vol. I of Stublos'a Constitutional Hisun y Ed. 1891). The first meaning which Stubbs attributes to it is that of "good shouter," though it seems that it is possible it may mean " neighbour " or " eastma.n." In view, however, both of the history of Teuton-Frank, relationships and of the outstanding proficiency of the average German in the matter of blowing his own trumpet, one imagines that most people would plump for the first-given meaning. And if that is correct, is there not some consolation in the thought that, the ancient Gauls should have thus early detected as the most marked characteristic of their eastern neighbours that insuffer- able spirit of brag which the peculiar advantages of intervening centuries of Kultur have entirely failed to eradicate P—I am, Cheltenham.
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