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Archiver > HUNGARY > 1998-11 > 0911018850


From: "Felix G. Game" <>
Subject: [HUNGARY-L] Re: HUNGARY-D Digest V98 #301
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 23:47:30 -0500


>From: Tom Venetianer <>

>Lichtig is one of the many derivatives of the German word "Licht" (==
>light). Typical surnames are Lichtberg, Lichtmann, Lichtstein, Lichtner,
>etc. In certain contexts the German suffix "ig" can denote "the maker of".
>Thus Lichtig could mean the "maker of light". This is a typical phantasy
>surname, as are all the previously mentioned. It's unlikely that your
>forefather was a maker of light, although he could be a maker of candles.
>But in that case his surname would likely be Kertzmann, not Lichtig.

I beg to differ with Mr. Venetianer; The suffix -ig in German denotes an
adjective, and not a noun. Words like "wichtig", "einstig", "mächtig", etc.
are some examples. In this context, Lichtig would have to be interpreted
perhaps as "bright", "shiny", "lighted" or such derivatives of the word
"light".

<felix>

Felix G. Game
Austro-Hungarian Specialist
www.freeyellow.com/members4/felixatgss/intro.html

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