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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIf ending adjectives in "A" indicates female gender should it not be "Santo Claus" ?
I get that "Santa" is a nicname for 'Saint' and "Claus" for Nicholas but can't seem to find anything on the gender. Throughout Latin based languages "A" is always female and "O" is always masculine so how did this happen?
B2G
(9,766 posts)GreatGazoo
(3,937 posts)trotsky
(49,533 posts)B2G
(9,766 posts)They are a very fragile lot.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Cirque du So-What
(25,949 posts)freeplessinseattle
(3,508 posts)whatthehey
(3,660 posts)Sinter Klaas rather than a borrowing from a Romance language where the gender suffixes are more in line with yours.
TexasProgresive
(12,157 posts)http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/santa-claus
The name Santa Claus evolved from Nicks Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas (Dutch for Saint Nicholas).
Sinter probably became Santa in the US by children who said Santa instead of Sinter. Rural Texas used to call him Santy.
FrodosPet
(5,169 posts)GreatGazoo
(3,937 posts)Sinterklaas rides the rooftops on his white horse which has various names; Odin rides the sky with his grey horse Sleipnir.
Sinterklaas gives chocolate letters to children, like Odin gave the rune letters to man.
Sinterklaas carries a staff and has mischievous helpers with black faces, who listen at chimneys to find out whether children are bad or good and report to Sinterklaas; Odin has a spear and his black ravens, Huginn and Muninn, who report what happens in the world to Odin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas#Pre-Christian_Europe
TexasProgresive
(12,157 posts)This is the comparison of myths and legends from many cultures and times. It appears that there are limited types of these myths and common themes run throughout the world. Many use this as proof that the major religions of the world are false, but there is the fact that all these people of divers backgrounds and times seem to come up with the same stories. So the commonality is as much a proof for as it could be a proof against theism.
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)Have some tolerance, please.
Now, where are my presents?
H2O Man
(73,561 posts)pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)spanone
(135,846 posts)icymist
(15,888 posts)One of my great-grandfather's name is Asa. Another great-grandfather, Elijah ('H' is silent). Besides, This is probably what started Thomas Edison hating Nicola Tesla back in the day.
1939
(1,683 posts)Many of the attributes of the Germanic gods and goddesses were grafted on to Christian saints. Saint Nicholas acquired the attributes of Woden/Wotan/Odin.
Saint Valentine acquired the attributes of the god Vali.
Zing Zing Zingbah
(6,496 posts)instead of pronouncing it so it rhymes with house. I know a German guy named Klaus (pronounced the rhymes with house way). He refers to himself as Santa Klaus when he gives out Christmas presents.