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Merlin's Name Avoids Poo Confusion
- The wizard Merlin's original name was Merdin, which sounded like the 12th-century word for feces.
- Geoffrey of Monmouth changed it to avoid confusion and loss of joke potential among Norman French speakers.
Names Meaning Excrement in History
- Some names in history included words related to excrement in their original language.
- For example, an Aztec nephew was named Plenty of Excrement, highlighting naming conventions.
Merlin's Burial and River Prophecy
- A medieval text predicted that if the rivers Tweed and Powsal Burn met at Merlin's burial site, England and Scotland would share a monarch.
- This coincided with James VI and I's coronation in 1603 when the Tweed flooded into Powsal Burn.