The Meaning of Grice

Kramer, somewhere, was complaining about Grice's laxness in defining (or daffyning, as he would prefer)

French

as

i. Of France
ii. Belonging to France

"These," Kramer writes (words), "are different things which should be not lumped like _that_."

I agreed. But I indicated that the main problem here remains the denotatum of that geographical expression, 'France'. For it is a (so-called) proper name (unlike, perhaps 'French' -- cfr. French kiss, etc.)

--- So what about the meaning of a proper name.

There is fight here.

Alice says they don't have a meaning (Names don't -- "Must a name mean something?")
Humpty Dumpty disagrees.

Grice --- dunno.

There are two theories about the meaning of Grice.

i. the respectful one. It's a recognised aristocratic surname of Anglo-Norman provenance. The Grices of Halborne were straight from Normandy, etc. It means 'grey-haired', or 'gris', in French.

ii. The disrespectful one: it means 'pig' in Scots.

---

Etc.

--

From Reaney, The Origin of English Surnames -- my buy at Foyles last time I was there! and my regular bedside read:


"Godwin Clawecuncte" 1066 Winton
"Simon Sitbithecunte" 1156 P (Nf)
"Jocelin Prinketail" 1210 Cur (Wo)
"John Prikehard" 1213 Cur (Sf)
"Gunoka Cunteles" 1219 AssY
"John Fillecunt" 1246 AssLa
"Peter Huniteil" 1268 ELPN
"Thomas Hunicod" 1275 RH (K)
"Nicholas Strekeyal" 1275 RH (L)
"Richard Scittebagge" 1277 Ely (Sf):
cf. "Shitebrock" (Weekley), for
-breech, mill called "Scitepilche"
1279 PNO 181, a derogatory name
for the miller, "Shitface", strangely
enough complimentary, and "Shitpot",
an aggressive nickname, expressive
of dislike and contempt (Franklyn 96);
"John Shepenkertel" 1327 SR (Ess)
"Agnes Strokeher", "Roger Strokehose" 1296 SRSx
"Alexander Haripok" 1299 FrY
"Robert Harilas" 1301 SRY
"Robert Clevecunt" 1302 SRY
"Ernald Pokestrong" 1309 Abbr (St)
"Peter Strekelevedy" 1316 Wak
"John Strokelady" 1327 SRC,
"Rober Louestycke" 1327 SRSa
"Bele Wydecunthe" 1328 Sibton (Nf)