Witling

Witling
An East Anglia variant alternative spelling of the Olde English pre 9th Century 'Hwiting' - meaning 'The Son of the Fair Haired One'. In this case we leave an intrusive 'L', probably of 17th Century introduction to aid in local dialectual pronunciation. The personal name as 'Hwita' was still common in the 12th Century in remote areas. In the modern idiom the usual spelling is Whiting but the development has included Hwytyng (1327) Hwiteng (1134) etc. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roger Witenc which was dated 1084, The Domesday Book (Somerset) during the reign of King William 1 The Conqueror 1066 - 1087 Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Witling — Wit ling, n. [Wit + ling; cf. G. witzling.] A person who has little wit or understanding; a pretender to wit or smartness. [1913 Webster] A beau and witing perished in the forming. Pope. [1913 Webster] Ye newspaper witlings! ye pert scribbling… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Witling — Witling, Fisch, so v.w. Wittling …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • witling — [wit′liŋ] n. a self styled wit …   English World dictionary

  • witling — noun a) a person who feigns wit, pretending or aspiring to be witty 1955: Rex Stout, Immune to Murder ...only a witling would call a man with my conceit a liar. b) a person with little wit …   Wiktionary

  • witling — /ˈwɪtlɪŋ/ (say witling) noun Obsolete a petty or would be wit. {wit1 + ling1} …  

  • witling — noun Date: 1693 1. a would be wit 2. a person of little wit …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • witling — /wit ling/, n. a person who affects wittiness. [1685 95; WIT1 + LING1] * * * …   Universalium

  • witling — Synonyms and related words: Boeotian, Gothamite, banana, block, burlesquer, caricaturist, clod, clown, comedian, comic, cutup, dimwit, dolt, donkey, dope, dullard, dumb cluck, dumbbell, dummy, dunce, epigrammatist, funnyman, gag writer, gagman,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • witling — (Roget s Thesaurus II) noun One who is obnoxiously self assertive and arrogant: malapert. Informal: know it all, saucebox, smart aleck, smarty, smarty pants, wisen heimer. Slang: wiseacre, wisecracker, wise guy. See GOOD …   English dictionary for students

  • witling — n. person who pretends or would like to be intelligent …   English contemporary dictionary

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