Dear Keith,
It seems unlikely, as Purbeck is recorded from Anglo-Saxon times, before the main period of French influence on English. (The word "pure" seems to have been borrowed into English from French during the later medieval period.) Purbeck needs to be considered alongside other English and Scottish place-names from the same first element, such as Purleigh in Essex, Purley in Berkshire, and Pusk in Fife. The second element appears to be an Old English word "*bic(a)" referring to a ridge, and the first is an Old English word "pur" meaning either 'bittern' (the traditional interpretation) or 'male lamb' (the interpretation I propose in "English Studies" 83 (2002), 377-390, which I think was among the bundle of offprints you asked me for some time ago).
Best wishes, and Happy New Year to everyone!
Carole
-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Briggs <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 10:08:43 -0000
Subject: [EPNL] Purbeck
Is there any connection between Purbeck (Dorset) and Grands Purebecques, a range of hills at the junction of la Bourre and la Plate Becque near Merville (Nord) in northern France?
Keith
PS: pure is used as a stream name elsewhere in France: La Pure was super fluvium Puram 911-23.
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Dr Carole Hough
Reader in English Language
Department of English Language
School of English and Scottish Language and Literature (SESLL)
University of Glasgow
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Glasgow G12 8QQ
Scotland UK
Tel. +44 (0)141 330 4566
Fax. +44 (0)141 330 3531
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