LJ Knows All

[clarentine]

Oh, mighty LJ, allow me to tap your collective knowledge once more.

I am looking for a word in a naming convention that represents a person, not the parent, who has assumed responsibility for a child. The concept is similar to guardianship or fostering. The word, however, needs to fit in the place of "patronymic" or "matronymic," where the child might be Abel and would be known as Abel [guardian's name here]sha, and the [guardian's name here]sha is this mystery word I need to label.

(If Abel was acknowledged the responsibility of his father, he would be Abel [father]son. If of his mother, Abel [mother]na. If of a third party, Abel [guardian]sha. Clear as mud? Thought so.]

Comments

[dedbutdrmng.livejournal.com]

I cannot help but if you have no luck here the 'little details' community may be able to help you out. It's on my info page.

Is this word in a particular time period? (Damn you, I can see my encyclopaedia and they want me to go to them even though I know from experience they are actually rubbish. Must. Sleep.)

[clarentine]

::laughs::

My eyebrows were telegraphing surprise at seeing your response, I'll have you know, because I have an idea what o'clock it was for you when you responded!

Sleep well, RJ. *g* If I can't find my word, I'll check that community.

[dedbutdrmng.livejournal.com]

I was, quite literally, kept awake by fairies.

Little Details is quite useful in general. There are a fair amount of experts on various topics that frequent it. I've had some great pointers on some very obscure points. :)

[gryphynshadow.livejournal.com]

I don't know about historical words, but the word our big mushy family has been using is "heart-family". So, 'heart-mom'. But, you're looking for the historical title applied to a non-biologic caregiver, right? In biology it was "altruistic aunt/uncle" or "altruistic caregiver". (Usually the individual filling that role would be a genetic relative.) I'm not well-read enough on anthropology to come up with that word off the top of my head, but maybe I've given you some more search terms... Good luck!

[clarentine]

Thanks! New search terms are a help. I am actually hoping the word exists somewhere and I just haven't found it yet, but I have no evidence thus far.

Heart-mom. I like that!

[deborahkalin.livejournal.com]

is this an actual word that you just can't think of, or one you want to "make up" for the purposes of your world-building?

If it's the former, I can't help you. If it's the latter, I'd suggest scouring a dictionary/thesaurus for "guardian" and then using something like the Online Etymology Dictionary to find the origins of guardian and related words and seeing if you can make it meld into your naming scheme. Off the top of my head, guardians -> wardens, custodian, tutelary. It's hard to be more specific without knowing the words you have for father/mother, because the word you choose for guardian is going to have to "match"

[clarentine]

I hope it's a real word and I just don't know what it is yet. *g*

[inaurolillium.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll take a shot at constructing one: almanymic
"Alma" or "almus" is Latin, well, literally, "nurturing," but it means "foster". Alma mater is foster mother, etc.

[clarentine]

I will keep that in mind - its meaning would be clear enough in context, I think. Thanks!