_Steward_ literally means the keeper of the place; it is compounded of
the two old words, _stede_ and _ward_: by the omission of the first _d_
and _e_ the word steward is formed.
_Marshal_ means one who has the care of horses: in the old Teutonic,
_mare_ was synonymous with horse, being applied to the kind; _scale_
signified a servant.
_Mayor_ is derived from the Teutonic _Meyer_, a lover of might.
_Sheriff_ is compounded of the old words _shyre_ and _reve_--an officer
of the county, one who hath the overlooking of the shire.
_Yeoman_ is the Teutonic word _gemen_, corrupted in the spelling, and
means a commoner.
_Groom_ signifies one who serves in an inferior station. The name of
bridegroom was formerly given to the new-married man, because it was
customary for him to wait at table on his bride and friends on his
wedding day.
* * * * *
All our words of necessity are derived from the German; our words of
luxury and those used at table, from the French. The sky, the earth, the
elements, the names of animals, household goods, and articles of food,
are the same in German as in English; the fashions of dress, and every
thing belonging to the kitchen, luxury, and ornament, are taken from the
French; and to such a degree of exactness, that the names of animals
which serve for the ordinary food of men, such as _ox_, _calf_, _sheep_,
when alive, are called the same in English as in German; but when they
are served up for the table they change their names, and are called
_beef_, _veal_, _mutton_, after the French.[106]
[106] Dutens.
* * * * *